CLONAL GROWTH OF BLASTOCYSTIS-HOMINIS IN SOFT AGAR WITH SODIUM THIOGLYCOLATE

The present report describes a method for establishment of colonies of Blastocystis hominis from single cells in soft agar. The percentage o f colony-forming efficiency (% CFE = number of colonies grown / number of cells inoculated x 100) for the cultures was greatly improved by t he addition of sodium thioglycollate. Five human Blastocystis isolates chosen for this study showed no apparent variation in colonial morpho logy. Isolated colonies were also successfully grown in liquid medium, providing a means of obtaining large numbers of B. hominis cells that had arisen from a single clone.