Isolation of Blastomyces dermatitidis from the lungs of a bat, Rhinopoma hardwickei hardwickei Gray, in Delhi.

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.