한국의 임상검체와 자연환경에서 분리된 Cryptococcus neoformans 58주에 대한 혈청형과 세포외효소 생성능에 관한 셍물학적 특성을 조사하였다. 환자로부터 분리된 임상균주 51주 중 48주는 혈청형 A (94.1%) 였으며 2주는 혈청형 B (3.92%),그리고 나머지 1주는 혈청형 D (1.96%)였다. 자연환경에서 분리된 7주는 비둘기 분변에서 분리된 것들이며 모두 혈정형 A였다. 모든 균주는 proteinase와 phnospholipase를 생성하였고, 또한 API-ZYM system을 이용한 19종류의 효소생성능 시험에서는 alkaline phosphatase, esterase (C4), esterase lipase (C8), leucine arylamidase, acid phosphatase, naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase, $alpha$-glucosidase, 그리고 $eta$-glucosidase를 생성하였으나, N-acetyl-$eta$-glucosarninidase는 39주 (67.2%)에서만 생성하였다. 혈청형 B로 동정된 2주와 혈청형 A로 동정된 균주중 1주는$eta$-glucuronidase를 생성하였다. 본 연구에 사용된 총21종류의 효소 생성능 시험을 기초로 하여 생물형을 구분하였는데, 모두 4가지의 유형을 나타내었고, 또한 임상과 환경균주에서 혈정형과 생물형 특성간의 유의한 상관성를 나타내었다.
Fifty eight Cryptococcus neoformans strains isolated from clinical and environmental sources in Korea were examined for their serotypes and extracellular enzyme activities. Among the 51 strains isolated from clinical sources, 48 strains were serotype A (94.1%), 2 strains were serotype B (3.92%), and 1 strain was serotype D (1.96%). All seven environmental strains isolated from pigeon excreta were identified as serotype A. All isolates of C. neoformtans were positive for the production of extracellular proteinase and phospholipase. In the API-ZYM system, all fifty eight isolates produced alkaine phosphatase, esterase C4, esterase lipase: C8, leucine arylamidase, acid phosphatase, naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrase, $alpha$-glucosidase and $eta$-glucosidase. Thirty nine isolates (67.2%) of C. neoformans produced N-acetyl-$eta$-glucosidase. Two isolates, serotype B, and B only one serotype A produced $eta$-glucuronidase. Analysis of enzymatic profiles to 21 enzymes revealed four biotypic patterns among the 58 strains. The enzymatic patterns of C. neoformans isolated from clinical and environmental sources represented a significant relationship with the serotypes.
