Cultivation ofLeishmania: comparison of different media for promastigote cultivation

Abstract
Experiences in the cultivation of promastigotes of Leishmania both for maintenance in the laboratory and for growth in mass culture were summarized. Maintenance studies were carried out with a L. donovani strain which was isolated in Murcia [Spain] and cultivated in the following media: NNN, NNN with Hank''s solution overlay, NNN with brain-heart [from rabbit] infusion overlay, Mathis''s medium, Weinman''s medium, brain-heart Infusion blood, semi-solid brain-heart infusion medium, brain-heart infusion haemin medium, brain-heart infusion/lysed blood and NNN condensation liquid. For mass cultivation LV 9 (L. donovani) and LV 160 (L. mexicana amazonensis) strains from the Liverpool [UK] collection were used; these were cultivated in the following media: brain-heart infusion/lysed blood, Schneider''s, Homen''s and brain-heart infusion media.