Survival of Blastomyces dermatitidis in the gastrointestinal tract of an orally infected insectivorous bat, Rhinopoma hardwickei hardwickei Gray.

The survival of Blastomyces dermatitidis with markedly reduced population, in the gastrointestinal tract and faeces of Rhinopoma hardwickei orally infected with 2.5 X 10(5) colony forming units of the fungus, is reported. B. dermatitidis was cultured from the stomach, intestine and faeces up to 16-24 h and from rectum up to 48 h post infection. The results demonstrate that orally infected R. hardwickei hardwickei bats transiently shed B. dermatitidis through their faeces but the significance of this route of environmental dissemination requires further evaluation.