Examination of rodents (Rodentia) for emmonsiosis in the Czech Republic, Israel and Africa.

Lung tissue of 156 rodents (genera Apodemus, Myodes, Microtus, and Muscardinus) from the Czech Republic, 29 rodents of the species Spalax ehrenbergi from Israel and 106 rodent specimens from Africa (genera Heliophobius, Mastomys, Acomys, Aethomys, Saccostomus, Tatera, Mus, Cryptomys, Dasymys, Dendromus, Grammomys, and Steatomys) were examined for presence of adiaspores of the fungal genus Emmonsia. In the Czech Republic, nine (5.8 %) animals revealed adiaspores of E. crescens. The positive samples were found in rodents sampled in three of the five Czech areas studied. Out of six species of the Czech rodents, three species were positive: Apodemus flavicollis, Myodes glareolus and Microtus agrestis. A. flavicollis was the most frequently infected species, whereas A. sylvaticus, Microtus subterraneus and Muscardinus avellanarius were negative.Adiaspores were recorded in five females and four males. A significant preference of the fungus for the host sex was not observed. Tissue samples of rodents from Africa and Israel were all negative.