A mycological and ecological study using phenetic and molecular fingerprinting tools to investigate on the heterobasidiomycetous yeast Cryptococcus neoformans isolated from clinical cases and environmental sources from southern Karnataka state

Abstract

In an era where an emerging threat due cryptococcosis is encountered among the immunocompromised patients especially in those AIDS and in immunocompetent patients attributed to the virulent C. gattii counterpart the need for a study to better understand this disease is imperative. Routine surveillance and application of molecular typing methods are crucial to know the baseline and existing pattern of Cryptococcosis. The findings of the study will considerably enhance our ability to develop appropriate prevention and treatment strategies and be applicable for development of vaccine tailoring, enhance comprehension of disease epidemiology which contribute significantly in adopting strategies in managing disease burden. The proposed research is unique in a way that it address cryptococcus and cryptococcosis in the setttings of Karnataka state with regard to the mycological, ecological and molecular epidemiology aspects.