[Detection of Emericella nidulans from bedding materials in horse breeding environment and its significance as a causative agent of guttural pouch mycosis in horses].

Sixty-six new and used samples of horse bedding materials: 60 rice straws, 2 wheat straws, 2 timothy hays and 2 wood chips, were collected from horse breeding stables of 33 farms in Japan and examined for the presence of Emericella nidulans (E. nidulans; anam. Aspergillus nidulans). The incidence of E. nidulans in the bedding materials was 75.8% and there was no significant difference in detection of the fungus between the new and used materials (25 out of the 33 samples, respectively). The growth of E. nidulans isolated in sterilized rice straw culture was accelerated by the addition of water up to about Aw 0.94, which as determined to be the most favorable moisture content. The addition of 0.3% urea solution onto the sterilized rice straw culture also appeared to very effectively enhance its conidial and ascocarp formation. A significant influence of urea on conidial and ascocarp formation of E. nidulans isolates was confirmed by their cultures on a synthetic medium which had urea as the sole nitrogen. These results suggest that severe contamination of E. nidulans on new bedding materials can be hazardous and its proliferation can readily occur at the stable due to the enhancing effect of urine. This analysis is meaningful to elucidate a reservoir of E. nidulans as the causative agent of guttural pouch mycosis in horses.