An inexpensive easily available replacement for foetal calf serum in media for the in vitro cultivation of Leishmania spp.

A replacement for foetal calf serum (FCS), made from heat-treated adult serum, in culture media designed for the in vitro cultivation of leishmanial promastigotes is described. The growth of 12 World Health Organization recommended strains of Leishmania in media containing heat-treated adult serum was compared with that obtained in media containing FCS. Growth of the promastigotes in the media with the FCS replacement was as good as or slightly better than that with FCS.