In the year 2022 the WHO released a fungal priority pathogen list in which Cryptococcus neoformans being placed at the top most of critical priority pathogen. Is it still a threat to human compared to Candida and Aspergillus? Is its critical priority still the top?
I am not really familiar with Cryptococcosis sp or even neoformans, but it is described as a lethal fungus disguised in a polysaccharide coat. It can remain dormant in the host for decades prior to reactivation, causing systemic cryptococcosis in humans and other mammals. I would guess that like a slime mold thousands of dormant cells have a sort of microbial intelligence and know when the host is weak. and are equipped with neurotransmitters (Cryptococcus deploys a multitude of traits to adapt to and survive within the host, including immunosuppression, an ability to replicate intra- and extra-cellularly in phagocytes, changes in morphology and ploidy, a predilection to infect the CNS, and the capacity to utilize neurotransmitters and unique carbon sources available in the brain. Article Microbe Profile: Cryptococcus neoformans species complex
) so that was a quick dive into CryptococcosisAnyhow, it is a pathogen and thus would be affected by
First Law of Pathogens. (unpublished) By Prof C.G. YUKNA
From viruses to cancer, disease organisms need to out-replicate the immune system to survive and prosper. Thus you can consider their minions as little factories that require copious amounts of energy and materials. The easiest energy source is glucose (but many other sugars will do in a pinch.) Why specifically glucose? When plants began to photosynthesize, the sugar they produced from sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water was glucose. It is therefore an ancient process that all pathogens can utilize. As to materials (metabolites) iron, the most tightly regulated element in our bodies, is the primary limit to growth for ALL pathogens especially as it is essential to produce ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) the precursor of DNA RNA. Ergo, this is a "build it and they will come" axiom, available excess sugar and iron equals increased risk of disease and subsequent poorer patient survivability.
So does Cryptococcus follow this law?
Article An encapsulation of iron homeostasis and virulence in Crypto...
Jananishree Sathiyamoorthy I hope giving you a really brief preview of the beginning of some general laws on Pathogens was some help. The idea of sugar reduction and iron withholding is becoming more mainstream but without any theoretical backing. Nice to communicate with you.
Prof YUKNA
PS It would be nice to talk further.
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