ISOLATION OF CANDIDA SPECIES FROM BATS IN NIGERIA

Eighteen (15%) of 120 Nigerian bats screened for fungal infections yie lded yeasts of medical importance from their visceral organs. Candida albicans was the commonest organism recovered from the liver, spleen, kidneys and intestinal contents 1 of 10 out of 40 Glossophaga soricini a bats (nectar-feeding bats). Candida krusei was recovered from the li ver and spleen of 3 out of 50 Molossus maior bats (the tropical house bat). Five out of 30 lesser free-tailed bats (Rhinopoma hardwickei har dwickei) yielded mixed isolates of Trichosporon cutaneum and Candida s pp. from their liver and spleen. Only Glossophaga soricinia showed evi dence of infection of the organs. The liver, spleen and kidneys were c overed by white patches of yeast colonies.