Isolation of Histoplasma Capsulatum and Microsporum Gypseum from Soil and Bat Guano in Panama and the Canal Zone

Abstract

Summary Eight potential areas of histoplasmosis endemicity in the Republic of Panama and the Canal Zone were located by isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum from soil or bat guano. Endemic sites include a flower garden, a bat cave, a tree frequented by bats and a previously unrecognized ecologic environment associated with tree buttresses in tropical forests. The microorganism was shown to persist in the soil at known positive sites by repeated recovery at the beginning, end and during both the rainy and dry seasons. H. capsulatum was recovered from livers and spleens of fructiverous bats 11 weeks after intraperitoneal inoculation with the mycelial phase of the microorganism. Microsporum gypseum was recovered from 31% of the specimens processed using a human hair bait culture technique.