Epidemiology and Infection

Table of Contents - October 2011 - Volume 139, Special Issue 10 (ZOONOSES)  

Brucellosis and other zoonoses

Isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum from bats in the urban area of São Paulo State, Brazil

M. A. GALVÃO DIASa1a2, R. M. ZANCOPÉ OLIVEIRAa3, M. C. GIUDICEa1, H. MONTENEGRO NETTOa1, L. R. JORDÃOa1, I. M. GRIGORIOa1, A. R. ROSAa1, J. AMORIMa3, J. D. NOSANCHUKa4, L. R. TRAVASSOSa5 and C. P. TABORDAa2a6 c1

a1 Zoonosis Control Center of the Municipality of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

a2 Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Microbiology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

a3 Immunodiagnostic Section, Laboratory of Mycology at the Evandro Chagas Institute of Clinical Research, Institute Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

a4 Departments of Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, The Bronx, NY, USA

a5 Cell Biology Division, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

a6 Medical Mycology Laboratory – LIM53/HCFMUSP and Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

SUMMARY

The presence of bats in caves, attics, ceilings, and roofs is important epidemiologically as they can increase the chance of human acquisition of pathogens, including Histoplasma capsulatum. Brazilian urban areas contain many species of bats, especially insectivorous bats, that are attracted by a wide range of readily available food and shelter. From August 2003 to December 2008, we analysed 2427 bats in the São Paulo State region. Homogenates of the livers and spleens of the bats were plated on specific medium to identify animals infected with H. capsulatum. The fungus was isolated from 87 bats (3·6%). The infected bats were identified as Molossus molossus (74), Nyctinomops macrotis (10), Tadarida brasiliensis (1), Molossus rufus (1) and Eumops glaucinus (1), all insectivorous species. The data presented are a relevant contribution to the epidemiology of H. capsulatum in densely populated urban areas such as in São Paulo State, especially since histoplasmosis is not included in the mandatory disease notification system.

(Accepted November 13 2010)

(Online publication December 23 2010)

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c1 Author for correspondence: Dr C. P. Taborda at Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, São Paulo, SP 05508-000, Brazil. (Email: taborda@usp.br)

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