Cryptococcus bacillisporus (VGIII) Meningoencephalitis Acquired in Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Abstract

We describe a case of chronic meningoencephalitis with hydrocephalus caused by Crypto- coccus bacillisporus (VGIII) in an immunocompetent patient from Santa Cruz, Bolivia. This first report of a member of the Cryptococcus gattii species complex from Bolivia suggests that C. bacillisporus (VGIII) is present in this tropical region of the country and complements our epidemiological and clinical knowledge of this group of emerging fungal pathogens in South America.