This isn’t really surprising as in order to acquire this infection you usually have to inhale fungal spores, which then settle in the lungs. Most infections in patients with a normal immune system are either asymptomatic or a mild respiratory infection with non-productive cough and fever. into the hospitals patient areas resulting in a number of frail and young patients developing cryptococcosis. The air handling unit has then blown the Cryptococcus spp. One way to remember the type of microorganism is “pigeon poo is grubii”. including cats, dogs, horses and even camels, llamas and alpacas!įrom the online media reports (which have to be read cautiously as many news channels now sensationalise “facts” to “sell a story”) it seems that pigeons have got into the room containing the air handling unit and their droppings have contaminated the environment and hence the source of Cryptococcus spp. Other animals have been known to carry Cryptococcus spp. gatii tends to be found in the bark of trees as well as soil. neoformans is principally found in pigeon droppings and pigeon nests as well as soil whereas C. neoformans is more common and widespread.
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gatii is mainly found in the tropics whereas C. are found worldwide and throughout the environment C. There are three main subspecies which infect humans: The Glasgow outbreak is unusual in that it is not the normal kind of infection you expect to see being acquired in hospitals, this was cryptococcosis.Ĭryptococcosis is a fungal infection caused by yeast like organisms of the family Cryptococcus spp. A single infection can constitute an outbreak if the infection is significantly rare or unlikely in the particular situation. An outbreak is defined when there are two or more cases linked in time, place or person.
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This outbreak occurred at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow and sadly patients have died as a result. I have had to deal with an unusual outbreak of hospital acquired fungal infection myself, so I was intrigued to “read on” when I saw this week’s headlines that “a strange outbreak had occurred in a Scottish hospital”. However sometimes outbreaks can be a real mystery to solve.
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The normal kinds of infection you “ expect” to see being acquired in hospitals are MRSA, Norovirus or Clostridium difficile. Hospital acquired infections are never a good thing, usually there is simply lapse in care, resources or common sense behind most occurrence.