Use of an Argentinean Wildlife Tissue Collection for Epidemiological Studies of Histoplasmosis

Histoplasmosis is a worldwide systemic endemic mycosis caused by several cryptic species included within the Histoplasma capsulatum complex. Domestic and wild mammals are susceptible to infection by this fungus and could be used as indicators of its presence in the environment. The aim of the study was to identify the natural reservoirs of H. capsulatum in the Argentinean Humid Pampas eco-region analyzing a wildlife frozen-tissue collection and trace its distribution patterns over time and space. Tissue samples from 34 small wild mammals caught in the Humid Pampas were analyzed using two molecular markers: 100 kDa protein coding gene ( Hcp100 ) and ITS1 rDNA. Results showed that 32.4% of them were infected with H. capsulatum and its DNA was detected in 5/17 Calomys laucha ; 3/6 Calomys musculinus ; 1/5 Akodon azarae , 1/3 Monodelphis dimidiata ; and 1/2 Didelphis albiventris . In the single specimen studied of Cavia aperea , no H. capsulatum DNA was detected. This is the first H. capsulatum infection report in C. laucha and C. musculinus rodents and M. dimidiate opossum which proves that tissue collections are an important source of material for epidemiological studies of endemic disease over time.