Role of bats in the ecology ofParacoccidioides brasiliensis: The survival ofParacoccidioides brasiliensisin the intestinal tract of frugivorous bat,Artibeus lituratus

Abstract

The fruit-eating bat, A. lituratus, was fed known quantities of viable yeast cells and mycelial particles of P. brasiliensis in an attempt to assess the role of this animal in the distribution of this agent in nature. Results of mycosel cultures of the stomach, upper intestine, lower intestine and rectum clearly showed that the fungal cells were unable to survive more than 8 h in the digestive tract of the bat. The mycelial particles were more susceptible than the yeast and were killed before passing to the rectum. The fungus died rapidly in the voided fecal material. These findings indicate the improbability of isolating P. brasiliensis from the digestive tract of wild captured bats and show that A. lituratus probably plays no role in the distribution of this fungus in nature.