Animals Involved
Birds including pigeons, psittacines (mainly grows in guano; temporary colonization of intestinal tract also possible); clinical cases in cats, other mammals
Known Distributions
Worldwide
Probable Means of Spreading
Principally environmental exposure, especially pigeon nests for C neoformans, trees for C gattii; via inhalation or through the skin; infection common in people and animals, insignificant as zoonosis
Clinical Manifestations in People
Respiratory signs, mild to severe, often self limiting in healthy host but more likely to be severe in immunocompromised; dissemination with CNS disease, ocular signs, other syndromes, most often in immunocompromised; skin lesions, either localized from inoculation (uncommon) or from disseminated disease