A Technique for Obtaining Axenic Cultures of Rhabditid Nematodes

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Abstract
Two methods of setting up axenic cultures of several species of Rhabditinae are described. Both methods depend on the killing and superficial sterilisation of gravid females with a chemcal steriliising agent, and their transferance to an innocuous medium containing antibiotics. The young worms which hatch from the eggs contained in the dead female worms are then collected aseptically. In one method merthiolate is used as a sterilising agent and in the other hydrogen peroxide. The effectiveness of both methods in freeing the young worms from contaminating micro-organisms has been evaluated by inoculating standard bacteriological culture media with the worms. Starting with such young worms, bacteria-free cultures have been set up using media previously described by Dougherty and his coworkers for the cultivation of free-living nematodes.
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