Growth of Experimental Fungus Balls in the Pleural Cavity of Rabbits
An attempt was made to produce an animal model of experimental aspergilloma by growing a fungus ball in the pleural cavity of the rabbit. Male white rabbits and the Aspergillus fumigatus PT-7 strain were used in this experiment. Instead of a cavity in the lung, a dead space was created in the pleural cavity using turpentine oil. Three weeks after creation of the cavity, an artificial fungus ball (about 10 mm in diameter) was inoculated into that space, and then hydrocortisone was injected into the same space. The size of the fungus ball in the pleural cavity of the rabbits receiving hydrocortisone increased gradually, its appearance was typically compatible with aspergilloma macroscopically and microscopically; e.g., coinciding with growth of the fungus in the cavity, there was infiltration of few cells into the central area of the fungus ball. Therefore, it was considered that experimental aspergilloma using the pleural cavity was successfully produced.
