In vitro cultivation of Herpetosoma trypanosomes in insect cell tissue culture media.

The cultivation of Herpetosoma trypanosomes in insect tissue culture media supplemented with foetal calf serum is described. Trypanosoma lewisi and T. musculi, which can be grown in blood agar media, were compared with four other species of Herpetosoma trypanosomes, T. microti, T. evotomys, T. grosi and T. nabiasi, in their growth in Schneider's Drosophila medium, Grace's, Mitsuhashi-Maramorosch, RPMI 1640, TCM 199 and nutrient blood agar media. Schneider's Drosophila and Grace's media supplemented with 20% foetal calf serum proved the most suitable media for growth of all parasites except T. nabiasi from rabbits which was not successfully established. Primary cultures were passaged after approximately 3 weeks and were maintained to continuously produce metacyclic trypomastigotes which produced less virulent infections although they maintained their infectivity to their respective hosts. The growth patterns in culture and morphology of the parasites are described.