Experimental Histoplasmosis: Portal of Entry of the Fungus 1,2

Abstract

Summary In an attempt to determine the portal of entry of Histoplasma capsulatum into experimental animals, mice and guinea pigs were inoculated with this fungus in its yeast-like phase. Routes of experimental inoculation were oral and intranasal, with intravenous and intraperitoneal injection being used as controls. Criteria of infection in the animals were positive cultures from the tissues and typical gross pathology at autopsy. In the feeding experiments 30 mice and 12 guinea pigs were used. Organisms morphologically identical with Histoplasma capsulatum were recovered in cultures from 21 mice and 9 guinea pigs. Twelve guinea pigs were inoculated intranasally, and yeastlike fungi were recovered from 9 animals.