MOLECULAR TYPING OF CRYPTOCOCCUS-NEOFORMANS SEROTYPE-D CLINICAL ISOLATES

Cryptococcus neoformans serotype A is responsible for the majority of cryptococcal infections in AIDS patients. In France, approximately 17% of the patients are infected with serotype D, regardless of their hum an immunodeficiency virus status. In a retrospective study of 273 pati ents, we found that serotype D was unevenly distributed in France. We wondered if this was related to the yeast's genetic background. We use d karyotyping and DNA fingerprints generated by UT-4p to analyze 40 se rotype D clinical isolates. We found an extensive polymorphism, with o nly two conserved karyotypes from drug-addicted patients living in the same area. Although highly variable, the DNA fingerprints were classi fied into 10 groups. Four pairs of isolates were identical; three of t hese pairs were from patients living in the same area, but there was n o other correlation with the geographical area. The two isolates with identical karyotypes belonged to the same fingerprint group. Five of t he six isolates that made up fingerprint group I were recovered from d rug-addicted patients (P < 0.002; chi-square), and all five isolates f ound in fingerprint group III were from male homosexual patients (P < 0.02). Finally, five of the seven isolates from patients with cryptoco ccal pneumonia, were classified as fingerprint group V (P < 0.04). The se results suggest that there are possible relationships between chara cteristics of the isolates and body localization or even risk factors. Results of the present study warrant other studies on isolates of all serotypes and on isolates from clinical and environmental sources.