Histoplasma capsulatum isolated from Didelphis albiventris (Marsupialia: Didelphidae) in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

We report the isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum from a culture of the viscera of Didelphis albiventris, one of the marsupial species found in Brazil. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the isolation of this fungus from this mammalian species. This finding confirms the ubiquitous presence of H. capsulatum in nature.

The marsupial Didelphis albiventris is an improbable host of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in an endemic area of paracoccidioidomycosis in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

To determine whether Didelphis albiventris is naturally infected with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, 20 specimens of this mammal were studied by both direct cultivation of their viscera (spleen, liver and lungs) and by inoculation of Swiss mice by the intraperitoneal route with a suspension of fragments of these viscera. No fungal growth or structures similar to this fungus were detected. Probably D. albiventris is not frequently infected with P. brasiliensis.

The marsupial Didelphis albiventris is an improbable host of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in an endemic area of paracoccidioidomycosis in Minas Gerais, Brazil

To determine whether Didelphis albiventris is naturally infected with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, 20 specimens of this mammal were studied by both direct cultivation of their viscera (spleen, liver and lungs) and by inoculation of Swiss mice by the intraperitoneal route with a suspension of fragments of these viscera. No fungal growth or structures similar to this fungus were detected. Probably D. albiventris is not frequently infected with P. brasiliensis