The Case for Adopting the “Species Complex” Nomenclature for the Etiologic Agents of Cryptococcosis

Kyung J. Kwon‐Chung(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), John E. Bennett(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), Brian L. Wickes(The University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center), Wieland Meyer(The University of Sydney), Christina A. Cuomo(Broad Institute), Kurt R. Wollenburg(Office of the Director), Tihana Bicanic(St George's, University of London), Elizabeth Castañeda(Instituto Nacional de Salud), Yun C. Chang(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), Jianghan Chen(Second Military Medical University), Massimo Cogliati(University of Milan), Françoise Dromer(Institut Pasteur), David Ellis(The University of Adelaide), Scott G. Filler(The Lundquist Institute), Matthew C. Fisher(Imperial College London), Thomas S. Harrison(St George's, University of London), Steven M. Holland(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), Shigeru Kohno(Nagasaki University), James W. Kronstad(University of British Columbia), Márcia Lazéra(Instituto Evandro Chagas), Stuart M. Levitz(University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School), Michail S. Lionakis(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), Robin C. May(University of Birmingham), Popchai Ngamskulrongroj(Siriraj Hospital), Peter G. Pappas(University of Alabama at Birmingham), John R. Perfect(Duke University), Volker Rickerts(Robert Koch Institute), Tania C. Sorrell(The University of Sydney), Thomas J. Walsh(Cornell University), Peter R. Williamson(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), Jianping Xu(Hainan Medical College Hospital), Adrian M. Zelazny(National Institutes of Health Clinical Center), Arturo Casadevall(Johns Hopkins University)
mSphere
January 12, 2017
10.1128/msphere.00357-16
Cited by 413Open Access
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Abstract

ABSTRACT Cryptococcosis is a potentially lethal disease of humans/animals caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii . Distinction between the two species is based on phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. Recently, it was proposed that C. neoformans be divided into two species and C. gattii into five species based on a phylogenetic analysis of 115 isolates. While this proposal adds to the knowledge about the genetic diversity and population structure of cryptococcosis agents, the published genotypes of 2,606 strains have already revealed more genetic diversity than is encompassed by seven species. Naming every clade as a separate species at this juncture will lead to continuing nomenclatural instability. In the absence of biological differences between clades and no consensus about how DNA sequence alone can delineate a species, we recommend using “ Cryptococcus neoformans species complex” and “ C. gattii species complex” as a practical intermediate step, rather than creating more species. This strategy recognizes genetic diversity without creating confusion.

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