Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis isolated from armadillos is virulent to Syrian hamsters

  • Published:
Mycopathologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Isolates of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis may vary in virulence according to time of in vitro subcultivation. The present study compared the morphology and pathogenicity to hamsters of two P. brasiliensis isolates: one obtained from human lesions and maintained in the laboratory for several years (Pb-18) and the other isolate recovered from hamsters inoculated with organ homogenates from armadillos (Pb-T). The microscopic morphology of Pb-18 and Pb-T showed yeast cells with similar diameter. However, Pb-T produced a significantly higher number of buds per mother cell than Pb-18. Besides, the mycelial form of Pb-T developed abundant sporulation during 8 weeks of culture which was absent in the Pb-18 isolate. Virulence studies demonstrated that mortality rates, antibody levels, fungal load and extent of lesions in the organs were significantly higher in animals infected with Pb-T. The results demonstrated that Pb-T recently isolated from an animal was more virulent than Pb-18. These differences between the two P. brasillensis isolates may be indicators of virulence attenuation in this fungal species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. McEwen JG, Bedoya V, Patiño MM, Salazar ME, Restrepo A. Experimental murine paracoccidioidomycosis induced by the inhalation of conidia. J Med Vet Mycol 1987; 25: 165–175.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Albornoz MCB. Isolation of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis from rural soil in Venezuela. Sabouraudia 1971; 9: 248–253.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Ferreira MS, Freitas LH, Lacaz CS, Del Negro G, Melo NT, Garcia MN, Assis CM, Salebian A, Heins-Vaccari EM. Isolation and characterization of a Paracoccidioides brasiliensis strains from dog food probably contaminated with soil in Uberlandia, Brazil. J Med Vet Mycol 1990; 28: 253–256.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Grose E, Tramsitt JR. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis from the intestinal tract of three bats (Artibeus lituratus) in Colombia, S.A. Sabouraudia 1965; 4: 124–125.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Costa EO, Diniz LSM, Fava Netto C. The prevalence of positive intradermal reactions to paracoccidioidin in domestic and wild animals in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Vet Res Commun 1995; 19: 127–130.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Naiff RD, Ferreira LCL, Barret TB, Naiff MF, Arias JR. Paracoccidioidomicose enzoótica em tatus (Dasypus novemcinctus) no estado do Para. Rev Inst Med Trop S Paulo 1986; 28: 19–29.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bagagli E, Sano AY, Coelho KI, Alquati S, Miyaji M, Camargo ZP, Gomes GM, Franco M, Montenegro MR. Isolation of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis from armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) captured in an endemic area of paracoccidoidomycosis. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1998; 58: 505–512.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Calich VLG, Singer-Vermes LM, Siqueira AM, Burger E. Susceptibility and resistance of inbred mice to Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. Brit J Exp Pathol 1985: 66: 585–594.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Castañeda E, Brummer E, Pappagianis D, Stevens D. Chronic pulmonary and disseminated paracoccidioidomycosis in mice: quantitation of progression and chronicity. J Med Vet Mycol 1987; 25: 377–387.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Coelho KI, Defaveri J, Rezkallah-Iwasso MT, Peracoli MTS. Experimental paracoccidioidomycosis. In: Franco MF, Lacaz CS, Restrepo A, Del Negro G, eds. Paracoccidioidomycosis. Boca Ratón, Florida: CRC Press, 1994: 87–107.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Peraçoli MTS, Mota NGS, Montenegro MR. Experimental paracoccidioidomycosis in the Syrian hamster: morphology and correlation of lesions with humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Mycopathologia 1982; 79: 7–17.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Melby PC, Tryon W, Chandrasekar B, Freeman GL. Cloning of Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) cytokine cDNA and analysis of cytokine mRNA expression in experimental leishmaniasis. Infect Immun 1998; 66: 2135–2142.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Iabuki K, Montenegro MR. Experimental paracoccidioidomycosis in the Syrian hamster: morphology and correlation of the lesions with presence of specific antigens and serum level of antibodies. Mycopathologia 1979; 67: 131–141.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Brummer E, Restrepo A, Hanson LH, Stevens DA. Virulence of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis: The influence of in vitro passage and storage. Mycopathologia 1990; 109: 13–17.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Singer-Vermes LM, Burger E, Franco MF, Moscardi-Bacchi M, Mendes-Giannini MJS, Calich VLG. Evaluation of the pathogenicity and immunogenicity of seven Paracoccidioides brasiliensis isolates in susceptible inbred mice. J Med Vet Mycol 1989; 27: 71–72.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Kashino SS, Singer-Vermes LM, Calich VLG, Burger E. Alterations in the pathogenicity of one Paracoccidioides brasiliensis isolate do not correlate with its in vitro growth. Mycopathologia 1990; 111: 173–180.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Sano A, Miyaji M, Nishimura K, Franco MF. Studies on the relationship between the pathogenicity of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in mice and its growth rate under different oxygen atmospheres. Mycopathologia 1991; 114: 93–101.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Zaccharias D, Ueda A, Moscardi-Bacchi M, Franco M, San Blas G. A comparative histopathological, immunological and biochemical study of experimental intravenous paracoccidioidomycosis induced in mice by three Paracoccidioides brasiliensis isolates. J Med Vet Mycol 1986; 24: 445–454.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Kashino SS, Calich VLG, Singer-Vermes LM, Abrahamshon PA, Burger E. Growth curves, morphology and ultrastructure of ten Paracoccidioides brasiliensis isolates. Mycopathologia 1987; 99: 119–128.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Sano A, Tanaka R, Nishimura K, Kurokawa CS, Coelho KIR, Franco M, Montenegro MR, Miyaji M. Characteristics of 17 Paracoccidioides brasiliensis isolates. Mycoscience 1997; 38: 117–122.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Fava Netto C, Vegas VS, Sciannamea IM, Guarnieri DB. Antígeno polissacarídico do Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. Estudo do tempo de cultivo do P. brasiliensis, necessário ao preparo do antígeno. Rev Inst Med Trop S Paulo 1969; 11: 177–181.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Restrepo A, Cano LE, De Bedout C, Brummer E, Stevens DA. Comparison of various techniques for determining viability of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis yeast form cells. J Clin Microbiol 1992; 16: 209–211.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Bustamante-Simon B, McEwen JG, Tabares AM, Arango M, Restrepo-Moreno A. Characteristics of the conidia produced by the mycelial form of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. JMed Vet Mycol 1985; 23: 407–414.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Calich VLG, Purchio A, Paula CR. A new fluorescent viability test for fungi cells, Mycopathologia 1978; 66: 175–177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 1951; 193: 265–275.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Singer-Vermes LM, Ciavaglia MC, Kashino SS, Burger E, Calich VLG. The source of the growth-promoting factor(s) affects the plating efficiency of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. J Med Vet Mycol 1992; 30: 261–263.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Godfrey KAM. Statistics in practice. Comparing the means of several groups. N Engl J Med 1985; 313: 450–456.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Klimpel KR, Goldman WE. Isolation and characterization of spontaneous avirulent variants of Histoplasma capsulatum. Infect Immun 1987; 55: 528–533.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Singer-Vermes LM, Caldeira CB, Burger E, Calich VLG. Experimental murine paracoccidioidomycosis: relationship among the dissemination of the infection, humoral and cellular immune responses. Clin Exp Immunol 1993; 94: 75–79.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Aristizabal BH, Clemons KV, Stevens DA, Restrepo A. Morphological transition of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis conidia to yeast cells: In vivo inhibition in females. Infect Immun 1998; 66: 5587–5591.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Franco M. Host-parasite relationship in paracoccidioidomycosis. J Med Vet Mycol 1986; 25: 5–18.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil

    Maria Terezinha S. Peraĉoli & Maria Fatima Sugizaki

  2. Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil

    Rinaldo P. Mendes & Mario R. Montenegro

  3. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil

    Roberto Naiff

Authors
  1. Maria Terezinha S. Peraĉoli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Maria Fatima Sugizaki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rinaldo P. Mendes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Roberto Naiff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mario R. Montenegro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Peraĉoli, M.T.S., Sugizaki, M.F., Mendes, R.P. et al. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis isolated from armadillos is virulent to Syrian hamsters. Mycopathologia 148, 123–130 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007119403572

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007119403572

Search

Navigation