Overview
- The University of Exeter team reported the findings in the Journal of Medical Microbiology on Feb. 23, 2026, using physiologic co-culture models.
- In the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, C. neoformans multiplied faster, formed extra-large titan cells, and remodelled a thicker capsule linked to immune evasion.
- In a simulated co-infected lung environment with macrophages, immune cells were more readily invaded by the fungus when exposed to tuberculosis cues.
- The specific mycobacterial components driving these shifts remain unidentified, and the researchers plan mouse studies to test relevance in intact immune systems.
- The mechanistic results align with reports of higher mortality in TB–cryptococcal co-infections, a concern in HIV-endemic regions where C. neoformans is a WHO critical-priority pathogen.