| cryptococcus neoformans and cryptococcus gattii isolated from the excreta of psittaciformes in a southern brazilian zoological garden. | cryptococcus neoformans, a major pathogen in immunocompromised patients, is a ubiquitous free-living fungus that can be isolated from soils, avian excreta and plant material. to further study potential saprophytic sources of this yeast in the southern brazilian state rio grande do sul, we analyzed fecal samples from 59 species of captive birds kept in cages at a local zoological garden, belonging to 12 different orders. thirty-eight environmental isolates of c. neoformans were obtained only from ... | 2006 | 16463091 |