Isolation ofBlastomyces dermatitidisfrom the lungs of a bat,Rhinopoma hardwickei hardwickeigray, in Delhi

Abstract

The isolation of Blastomyces dermatitidis is reported from the lungs of one of 155 insectivorous bats, representing Rhinopoma hardwickei hardwickei Gray, inhabiting the abandoned first floor of a school building in Old Dehli. The identity of the fungus was based on its gross and microscopic cultural morphology including demonstration of its dimorphic character. It was further confirmed by determination of the capacity of the isolate to produce the "A" exo-antigen specific for B. dermatitidis and by verification of its pathogenicity for white mice. Heretofore, B. dermatitidis has not been reported from bats. It is also the first occasion that B. dermatitidis has been isolated from animal sources in an Asian country, thereby indicating that this important dimorphic pathogenic fungus is endemic in Asia.Literature reviews on systemic mycoses in India [14-16] do not reveal any welldocumented case of blastomycosis in man or animals. Moreover, no comprehensive investigation has been undertaken on the natural reservoirs of Blastomyces dermatitidis and other dimorphic pathogenic fungi in this country.This prompted us to initiate a survey of these fungi in bats and bat guano in a number of roosting sites in Delhi. In this preliminary paper, we report for the first time the isolation of B. dermatitidis from a bat and that too from a geographic region where the endemicity of blastomycosis had not been previously recognised. MATERIALS AND METHODS The bats:One hundred and fifty-five free-tailed bats belonging to Rhinopoma hardwickei hardwickei Gray, an insectivorous species, were investigated over a period of 8 months commencing in September, 1980. The bats were trapped from a colony inhabiting the first floor of an abandoned portion of the building of a Girls' Higher Secondary School situated about 1 km south-west of the Administrative Block of the University of Delhi. This was an old building with several dark and dingy galleries and cupolas in its first floor. The bats had been roosting there for many years, as was apparent from the size of the heaps of bat guano which were present. Bats were trapped and brought alive in cages to the laboratory for isolation of pathogenic fungi. The building site fails under the jurisdiction of Old Delhi and it is close to a ridge that supports dense vegetation and wildlife, apart from having some historical monuments.

Disseminated blastomycosis in a child with a brief review of the Indian literature

“…[10] Before 1982, nine cases were reported with inadequate documentation. [11] In 1983, Randhawa et al reported the first case of blastomycosis isolated from bronchial aspiration of a female patient from Uttar Pradesh.…”

Blastomyces dermatitidisin bats: first report of its isolation from the liver ofRhinopoma hardwickei hardwickeiGray

“…In this context, our isolation of B. dermatitidis from the liver of R. hardwickei hardwickei, an insectivorous species that had earlier yielded the pathogen from its lungs [10], assumes a special significance. It reinforces the available evidence for the endemic occurrence of B. dermatitidis in India and focuses once again on the possible role of bats as natural hosts or vectors for this pathogen.…”

“…B. dermatitidis was not found in any of the 34 samples of bat guano investigated by direct culture or mouse-inoculation technique. The results reinforce the available evidence for the endemic occurrence of B. dermatitidis in India and focus on the possible role of R. hardwickei hardwickei as a natural host or vector for this pathogen.In earlier studies from our laboratory, we reported for the first time the isolation of Blastomyces dermatitidis from a bat, Rhinopoma hardwickei hardwickei Gray, an insectivorous species trapped from the abandoned first floor of a school building in Old Delhi [10], and the first isolation of the pathogen from human clinical material in India [15]. In this communication, we report for the first time the isolation of B.…”

“…In earlier studies from our laboratory, we reported for the first time the isolation of Blastomyces dermatitidis from a bat, Rhinopoma hardwickei hardwickei Gray, an insectivorous species trapped from the abandoned first floor of a school building in Old Delhi [10], and the first isolation of the pathogen from human clinical material in India [15]. In this communication, we report for the first time the isolation of B.…”

Cutaneous, Subcutaneous and Systemic Mycology

“…Panja (1925) also diagnosed a case of generalised blastomycosis in scrapings from the cutaneous nodular lesions. Further, the blastomycosis is reported from insectivorous bats (Khan et al 1982), male Mongrel dog (Iyer 1983) and migratory birds (Rawal et al 1988). …”