Quantitative plating of Histoplasma capsulatum without addition of conditioned medium or siderophores

We have formulated two defined media which yield excellent plating efficiency of the yeast phase of Histoplasma capsulatum. Neither requires the addition of conditioned medium or purified siderophores, although the simpler of the two media includes hemin as a source of solubilized iron. Agarose, rather than conventional agar, is the solidifying agent for both media. Plating efficiency usually exceeds 90% with both North American and Central American isolates of H. capsulatum.