Adiaspiromycosis of an Apodemus agrarius captured wild rodent in Korea

Abstract

Adiaspiromycosis is caused by pulmonary infection with Emmonsia. Inhalated spores of Emmonsia cause asymptomatic infection to necrogranulomatous pneumonia, depending on the burden of adiaspore and host immunity. For disease monitoring of wild rodents captured on Jeju Island in Korea, we examined the lung tissue of wild rodents histopathologically. Spores composed of thick three-layered walls were found following histopathological examination and were diagnosed as adiaspiromycosis. Adiaspiromycosis has been found in mammals in many parts of the world. To our knowledge, this is the first report of adiaspiromycosis of an Apodemus agrarius captured in Korea.

Keywords: Adiaspiromycosis; Emmonisia crescens; wild rodent.

Figure 1

Adiaspores of Emmonsia sp. in the lung parenchyma of an Apodemus agrarius. (A) Round structures (black arrows) scattered in the lung. (B) Adiaspore was located in alveolar space encapsulated by granulomatous inflammatory lesion. Macrophages and Langerhans giant cells infiltrated in the surrounding granulomatous tissue. The spores have three layers in their walls and basophilc granular structures in their inner parts. Haematoxylin and Eosin stain. Bar=100 µm