In this work we studied the susceptibility to heat and antifungal agents of the first strains of environmental Cryptococcus neoformans var neoformans (serotype D) isolated in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. In order to achieve a rigorous analysis, we employed the methodology recommended by NCCLS, Yeast Nitrogen Base (YNB) proposed by Ghannoum et al (YNB-1), Antibiotic medium 3 (AM3) indicated by others, YNB adjusted to the NCCLS methodology (YNB-2) and Etest. Our results indicate that all strains were susceptible to amphotericin B (0.0625-0.5 µg/mL), fluconazole (0.125-8.0 µg/mL), itraconazole (0.031-0.25 µg/mL) and flucytosine (0.125-4.0 µg/mL). The C. neoformans serotype D strains were more susceptible to heat (47ºC/30 min) than C. neoformans serotype A.
Cryptococcus neoformans; heat susceptibility; antifungal agents
