Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Cryptococcus

Cryptococcus

1 9.8
A type of fungus that can infect people with weakened immune systems
  • noun
  • /ˌkrɪptoʊˈkɒkəs/
  • Specialized
: Cryptococcus
  • Three patients were being treated for fungal infection premortem: 2 Cryptococcus meningitis and 1 disseminated histoplasmosis.
  • Cryptococcus neoformans

Examples

  • The doctor diagnosed the patient with an infection caused by Cryptococcus after reviewing their lab results.

  • Effective activity against yeasts, such as Candida species, Cryptococcus neoformans, Histoplasma capsulatum, Blastomyces dermatitidis, and molds of the Aspergillus species.

    Academic text (2005)

  • Which of the following statements regarding Cryptococcus gattii infections is most accurate?

    Academic text (2013)

  • Histopathologic examination results demonstrating Cryptococcus yeasts in tissue were also considered evidence of infection at the tissue site.

    Academic text (2013)

  • Inhibits some Candida, Cryptococcus, and Aspergillus strains

    Academic text (2005)

  • Cryptococcus gattii, a fungal pathogen found in the environment, is associated with soil and decaying organic debris.

    Academic text (2013)

  • In individuals with weakened immune systems, Cryptococcus can lead to severe respiratory illnesses.

  • Fungal infections from Cryptococcus can be particularly dangerous for those with HIV/AIDS.

Compounds

Cryptococcus gattii
  • Specialized
9.8

A fungus that can cause infections in humans and animals

Cryptococcus gattii
  • Specialized
9.9

A fungus that lives in soil, decaying wood, and on eucalyptus trees

Surface Forms

Cryptococcus singular
Cryptococci plural

Morphology

Cryptococcus = coccus (opaque) = crypto + coccus

The word is formally built from the classical prefix crypto- and coccus, but the scientific genus name is not meaningfully guessable from the parts for an average learner.

Etymology

Cryptococcus comes from two Greek parts: crypto- meaning 'hidden' and -coccus meaning 'berry' or 'round seed', and it is the same root as cryptic. So, think of a 'hidden berry' — a small round fungus that can be hard to see and sometimes causes infections in people with weak immune systems.