There are more than 60 different species of opossum, which are often called possums. The most notable is the Virginia opossum or common opossumâthe only marsupial (pouched mammal) found in the United States and Canada. A female opossum gives birth to helpless young as tiny as honeybees.
Disseminated cryptococcosis, particularly with peritonitis, is an uncommon manifestation of Cryptococcus neoformans infection. Liver cirrhosis serves as a risk factor for disseminated disease in HIV-negative patients.
A fungal disease, Cryptococcus neoformans, can be shed in the droppings of infected birds, and the droppings would be infective to other species if inhaled. Histoplasmosis is another fungal disease that can be shed in the droppings and can potentially cause pneumonitis and disseminated disease in humans, dogs and cats.