In an attempt to isolate Paracoccidioides
brasiliensis from nature 887 samples of soil from Botucatu,
SP, Brazil, were collected cultured in brain heart infusion
agar supplemented with dextrose, in potato dextrose agar and
in yeast extract starch dextrose agar, all with antibiotics,
at 25 and 37 C. Five thermo-dependent dimorphic fungi
morphologically resembling P. brasiliensis were
isolated; two from armadillo holes; further studies of the
biology, antigenicity and genetic features of the five
dimorphic fungi are necessary to clarify their taxonomy and
their possible relation to P. brasiliensis. In
addition, 98 dematiaceous fungi and 581 different species of
Aspergillus spp. were also isolated. Our findings
emphasize that armadillos and their environment are associated
with thermo-dimorphic fungi and confirm the ubiquity of
pathogenic dematiaceous fungi and Aspergillus
spp.