Growth of Spherules of Coccidioides immitis in a Chemically Defined Liquid Medium

Abstract

The parasitic phase (spherule) of C. immitis was produced in liquid synthetic medium. A glucose, acetate, inorganic salts medium inoculated with arthrospores and incubated with shaking at 34[degree] C for 72 hours contained mature, endospore-filled spherules morphologically similar to those found in animal tissue. Spherule development followed an initial mycelial growth, and constituted approximately 50% (by volume) of the culture.