A new method for the partial purification of leishmania amastigotes from cutaneous lesionS.

Amastigotes from Leishmania braziliensis and L. mexicana were isolated from cutaneous lesions in infected animals using the plant lectin Concanavalin A as a specific agglutination agent. Amastigotes were collected in preparations of up to 95% purity as determined by cell count. The parasites obtained by this method showed no apparent loss of viability as measured by growth rated and DNA replication, or pathogenicity as measured by routine passages in hamsters or mice.