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Medical Author:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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The best way to prevent cryptococcosis is to not inhale the fungus. This is difficult to do if you live in areas where the fungus resides, although some researchers say that some masks (ones that filter particles that are as small as 3 micrometers) may help prevent inhalation. One of the main sources of C. neoformans is dried pigeon feces, so avoiding areas that contain it may help prevent the disease. Avoiding dust that contains any type of bird feces may also help prevent infections.

Because C. gattii is spread by plant debris and propagules, it is hard to avoid inhalation if a person is in an area that C. gattii inhabits. Higher concentrations occur in air when trees like eucalyptus and gum trees release propagules, but they are also found in the dust around these trees. However, since these trees are usually found in semitropical and tropical regions, avoiding areas where these trees are producing propagules (flowering) may help prevent the disease. Unfortunately, with C. gattii now occurring in the Pacific Northwest, researchers suggest that C. gattii is adapting to survive in this region. Avoiding dust inhalation, especially in dense forests and around logging operations may help reduce exposure to C. gattii in the Pacific Northwest.

There is no commercially available vaccine to prevent cryptococcosis.

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