First ‐time isolation and quantification of Basidiobolus spp. from reptile faeces in KwaZulu‐Natal (South Africa) using selective media

SummaryMembers of the genusBasidiobolus are potentially pathogenic fungi, known to cause mycoses in tropical and subtropical countries.Basidiobolus spp. can be associated with animals, and reptiles and amphibians are candidate vectors for the distribution of this fungus. The presence ofBasidiobolus spp. was described for different reptiles in several African countries, although not for South Africa. In addition, quantitative data are scarce. The aim of this study was to analyse faeces of selected South African reptiles for the presence and quantity of “viableBasidiobolus units. ” Faecal samples of gecko and agama lizards were collected and analysed using spread plating, with confirmation by PCR. The addition of dichloran and benomyl to standard fungal media improved the selectivity and allowed quantification ofBasidiobolus spp. in reptile faeces. The amount ofBasidiobolus spp. varied between 300 and 1.4  × 106 CFU per gram of pooled gecko faeces, which mostly corresponds to>1000  CFU per outside dropping and<100  CFU per inside dropping. About 60% of analysed agama faeces carriedBasidiobolus spp., ranging from 150 to 1.2  × 105 CFU per dropping. Our results show for the first time that faeces of South African reptiles frequently carryBasidiobolus spp., confirming that they can contribute to the distribution of this fungus.
Source: Mycoses - Category: Research Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research