CRYPTOCOCCUS NEOFORMANS IN PIGEON EXCRETA IN NEW YORK CITY1

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Abstract
Specimens of pigeon excreta were collected from various indoor and outdoor locations in the 5 boroughs of New York City. These were examined for pathogenic fungi by direct plating on liver-spleen-glucose-blood agar and by incubating at 37[degree]C. Cryptococcus neoformans, confirmed by morphological, cultural, biochemical and by virulence studies, was isolated from 72 to 201 specimens examined. The 72 pigeon strains and 20 strains derived from cases of cryptococcal meningitis were identical in their ability to grow at 37[degree]C; to hydrolyze urea at 20[degree]C; to form capsules on Cryptococcus capsule agar at 37[degree]C; in their ability to assimilate dextrose, mannose, trehalose, xylose, galactose, maltose, sucrose, inositol, dextrin and starch as sole separate sources of carbon; in failing to assimilate lactose; and in failing to assimilate KNO3 as sole source of N. All 72 pigeon strains and 20 human isolates were virulent for white Swiss mice, producing death within 3 to 73 days after intracerebral injection of single doses of 3,000,000 yeast cells.