Direct in vitro isolation of Trypanosoma brucei brucei and T. b. evansi from disease hosts with low parasitaemia.

Three stocks of Trypansoma brucei brucei and two stocks of T. b. evansi were isolated directly from host animals with a low parasitaemia. Cultures were initiated under axenic conditions and/or in co-cultivation with different feeder layer cells using a modified Eagle's MEM. Under axenic conditions, HAM's F-12, Iscove's modified Dulbecco medium and SFRE 199-2 medium were also suitable, whereas RPMI 1640, and Leibovitz L-15 medium were not. The method described was sensitive and detected parasites which were not evident in some cases on wet blood film or haematocrit centrifuge techniques.