ISOLATION OF FUNGI FROM NATURE IN THE REGION OF BOTUCATU, STATE OF SAO-PAULO, BRAZIL, AN ENDEMIC AREA OF PARACOCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS

In an attempt to isolate Paracoccidioides brasiliensis from nature 887 samples of soil from Botucatu, SP, Brazil, were collected cultured in brain heart infusion agar supplemented with dextrose, in potato dextr ose agar and in yeast extract starch dextrose agar, all with antibioti cs, at 25 degrees and 37 degrees C. Five thermo-dependent dimorphic fu ngi morphologically resembling P. brasiliensis were isolated; two from armadillo holes; further studies of the biology, antigenicity and gen etic features of the five dimorphic fungi are necessary to clarify the ir taxonomy and their possible relation to P. brasiliensis. In additio n 98 dematiaceous fungi and 581 different species of Aspergillus spp. were also isolated. Our findings emphasize that armadillos and their e nvironment are associated with thermo-dimorphic fungi and confirm the ubiquity of pathogenic dematiaceous fungi and Aspergillus spp.