Survival and growth of Ajellomyces (Blastomyces) dermatitidis on oak leaves coated with saliva.

Yeast-form cells of Ajellomyces dermatitidis transferred to unsterilized and sterilized oak leaves in a humidity chamber failed to grow and produce mycelium. Transfers of these cells to Mycobiotic agar resulted in the growth of A. dermatitidis from all 5 autoclaved and 4 of the 11 unsterilized leaves. Soaking oak leaves with human airways secretions or saliva and inoculating them with yeast-form cells, and pouring sterile H2O on the leaves 10 days to 2 months later, permitted growth on 11 out of 36 leaves. It was concluded that these two natural substances, airways secretions and saliva, inhibited bacteria and furnished nutriment to A. dermatitidis.