[A comparison of the growth of Leishmania major, L. turanica and L. gerbilli on NNN medium].

Leishmania promastigotes grew in the NNN medium with medium-199 as a liquid phase. The NNN medium was prepared with agar bases of the following firms: Sigma, Oxoid, Difco, Medbioprom (Russia). Growth characteristics were examined with the following indices: specific growth rate (r), reduplication time (T), reproductive rate (k). The investigations have shown that the kind of agar base has the most influence on the r and T of L.turanica and L.gerbelli and on the k of L.major. The greatest differences of the r and T of 3 species were found when the Sigma agar base was used. The kinds of agar bases were selected for long-term cultivation and biomass growing. The ways of Leishmania adaptation to growth in different media were discussed.