Evaluation Eucalyptus camaldulensis Contaminations with Cryptococcus gattii in Tehran

Background and Aims: Cryptococcosis is an infection caused by Cryptococcus species. Cryptococcus gattii is mostly isolated from Eucalyptus trees and is acquired via inhalation of basidiospores. The present study was performed to isolate Cryptococcus sp. from Eucalyptus trees and evaluate C. gatti contamination of the Eucalyptus camaldulensis trees in some parks of Tehran and Varamin. Materials and Methods: 88 trees (leaves, stalk, fruit and soil) were collected from different areas of Tehran, Varamin and Shahr Ray in 2014-2015 during spring and fall. Identification of Cryptococcus sp. were performed based on colony color on niger seed agar medium, urease production, india ink test and pseudohyphae formation on corn meal agar with tween 80. Specific differentiation of Cryptococcus sp. were performed using sugar assimilation by API 20C AUX, disk approaches, colony color on Canavanine Glycine Bromothymol Blue and Cycloheximide-Phenol Red Agar medium. Results and Conclusions: 6 out of 88 samples of Eucalyptus trees were identified as Cryptococcus sp. Accordingly, four species were identified as Cryptococcus albidus while species of two other isolates were not detectable by used methods. Although Cryptococcus gattii was not isolated from the collected samples, this does not mean that Eucalyptus trees of Tehran are not contaminated.