CRYPTOCOCCUS-NEOFORMANS ISOLATED FROM HUMAN DWELLINGS IN RIO-DE-JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AN ANALYSIS OF THE DOMESTIC ENVIRONMENT OF AIDS PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT CRYPTOCOCCOSIS

One hundred and fifty-four human dwellings in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil were studied. A total of 824 samples of indoor dust, outdoor soil and avian droppings were collected. Cryptococcus n eoformans var. neoformans was isolated from 20 (13%) dwellings, compri sing five (15.6%) of 32 dwellings of patients with AIDS-associated cry ptococcosis; four (8.9%) of 45 dwellings of patients with AIDS but wit hout cryptococcosis; and 11 (14.3%) of 77 dwellings of apparently heal thy individuals (P>0.05). The principal factor associated with domicil iar contamination by C. neoformans var. neoformans was the presence of avians in the domestic environment or nearby the home. Cryptococcosis was more frequent among AIDS patients residing in dwellings from whic h C. neoformans var, neoformans was isolated than among AIDS patients from whose domestic environment the fungus was not demonstrated by the methods used (odds ratio (OR) = 2.05). These findings suggest that th e distribution of C. neoformans var. neoformans in Rio de Janeiro is n ot restricted to the classically known biotopes as well as reinforce t he possibility of exogenous infection in opportunistic cryptococcosis, including exogenous infection acquired in the domestic environment.