Isolation of fungi from nature in the region of Botucatu, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, an endemic area of Paracoccidioidomycosis

In an attempt to isolate Paracoccidioides brasiliensis from nature 887 samples of soil from Botucatu, SP, Brazil, were collected cultured in brain heart infusion agar supplement with dextrose, in potato dextrose agar and in yeast extract starch dextrose agar, all with antibiotics, at 25º and 37ºC. Five thermo-dependent dimorphic fungi morphologically resembling P. brasiliensis were isolated; two from armadillo holes; further studies of the biology, antigenicity and genetic features of the five dimorphic fungi are necessary to clarify their taxonomy and their possible relation to P.brasiliensis. In addition, 98 dematiaceous fungi and 581 different soecies of Aspergillus spp. were also isolated. Our findings emphasize that armadillos and their environment are associated with thermo-dimorphic fungi and confirm the ubiquity of pathogenic dematiaceous fungi and Aspergillus spp.

Experimental paracoccidioidomycosis in hamster: transmission electron microscopy of inoculation site lesion

Estudou-se sequencialmente, a microscopia eletronica de transmissao, a interacao entre Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (Pb) e celulas inflamatorias em hamsters inoculados por via intratesticular. Seis horas apos inoculacoes havia predominancia de neutrofilos, estando presentes algumas celulas mononucleares e eosinofilos. Os neutrofilos foram progressivamente substituidos por celulas mononucleares. Fungos viaveis apresentavam-se fagocitados ou circunscritos por celulas inflamatorias, geralmente com ampla interface hospedeiro-parasita. Fungos mortos ou degenerados eram acompanhados de interfase estreita. A camada externa da parede do Pb era as vezes quebrada quando em contato com neutrofilos, em varios pontos, sendo os fragmentos dessa parede descamados e fagocitados....