Intraspecies diversity of Cryptococcus albidus isolated from humans as revealed by sequences of the internal transcribed spacer regions

The basidiomycetous yeast, Cryptococcus albidus, shows intraspecies diversi ty, but it is rarely isolated from immunocompromised patients. Nineteen str ains of C. albidus, including nine clinical isolates, were re-classified by sequences of their rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. The nin e clinical isolates were genetically diverse and included both C. albidus a nd C. diffluens. One clinical isolate, recovered from the blood of an AIDS patient, represented a new species. Only small differences were found in th e biochemical aml serological characteristics of 6. albidus and C. diffluen s. All isolates were sensitive to amphatericin B, but several isolates were resistant to fluconazole and itraconazole, C. albidus heterogeneity should be taken into consideration when identifying clinical isolates.