See Also: Cryptococcus(medicine)
cryptococcus neoformans(medicine)
Herbal medicine (botanical medicine, herbology, phytomedicine)(health)
Medicine Lodge Memorial Hospital- Medicine Lodge(health)
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medicine(dictionary)
medicine(2)(dictionary)
Medicine(medicine)
medicine(encyclopedia)
medicine man(dictionary)

Cryptococcus (medicine)


Cryptococcus


A genus of yeastlike fungi that reproduce by budding.

Origin: crypto-+ G. Kokkos, berry

Cryptococcus neoformans, a species that causes cryptococcosis in humans and other mammalians and parasitises cats in some areas, although strains vary in virulence; the cells are spherical and may bud at any point on the surface or simultaneously at several points; a prominent feature is a mucoid polysaccharide capsule which may vary in width from very thin to several times the radius of the parent cell and buds combined. Once thought to be widespread in nature, its true niche appears to be narrowing to a saprobic association with the manure and nests of pigeons; it is therefore essentially global in distribution.