Current Status of Taxonomy of Pathogenic Yeasts

Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii and the Genus Trichosporon

Abstract

Fungal taxonomy has been reconstructed on the basis of genome information, and new nomenclatural rules have been enacted from 2013. It has been proposed that Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii be reclassified into two species (C. neoformans and Cryptococcus deneoformans) and five species (C. gattii, Cryptococcus bacillisporus, Cryptococcus deuterogattii, Cryptococcus tetragattii, and Cryptococcus decagattii), respectively. The genus Trichosporon has been reclassified into five genera. Trichosporon asahii, which is the causative agent of trichosporonosis, has been retained in the genus Trichosporon, while Trichosporon cutaneum has been transferred into a new genus, Cutaneotrichosporon.