First isolation of the anamorph of Kazachstania heterogenica from a fatal infection in a primate host

Abstract

We describe the isolation of the anamorph of the ascomycetous yeast Kazachstania heterogenica from a fatal infection in a 2 year, 9-month-old female white-handed gibbon (Hylobates lar). The yeast was observed in histological sections (lung and intestine) and co-isolated with the bacterium Escherichia coli from different internal organs. This is the first report of the recovery of this yeast from a fatal infection in a primate host.

Keywords:

• Kazachstania
• fungal disease
• yeast
• pathogen
• primate

Acknowledgements

Jorge Peña and Juncal García from the Zoo-Aquarium of Madrid (Spain) are gratefully acknowledged for their contribution to this report.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

This paper was first published online on Early Online on 9 May 2011.