Environmental isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii and C-neoformans var. neoformans in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil

In order to determine the environmental occurrence of both varieties of Cry ptococcus neoformans in the city of Sao Paulo, pigeon droppings and vegetab le material from trees of the genus Eucalyptus were collected at typically crowded places. A total of 38 sites downtown where large heaps of pigeon dr oppings could be found were selected for sampling. Pigeon droppings from 10 (26.3%) of these sites were positive for C. neoformans var. neoformans in at least one sample. Twelve eucalyptus woods located within four municipal parks were also surveyed; vegetable material from Eucalyptus spp. trees wer e collected monthly over a 2-year period. C. neoformans var. gattii was rec overed from a wood in Ibirapuera Park during the same season on two differe nt occasions (November 1996 and November 1997); this park contained specime ns of Eucalyptus camaldulensis, a natural habitat of C. n. var. gattii. C. n. var. neoformans was detected in a wood in Ibirapuera Park and Aclimacao Park. The results show that both C. n. var, neoformans and C. n, var. gatti i are present in the urban environment of Sao Paulo city at sites where lar ge numbers of people normally gather.