EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT MEDIUM SUPPLEMENTS FOR IN-VITRO CULTIVATION OF BRUGIA-MALAYI 3RD-STAGE LARVAE

Growth and development of Brugia malayi (Nematoda: Filarioidea) third- stage larvae (L(3)) were compared in 5 medium supplements. The basic c ulture medium (NI) consisted of a 1:1 (v/v) mixture of NCTC-135 and Is cove's modified Dulbecco's medium, an antibiotic/antimycotic mixture, and 1 of the following 5 supplements: 25 mg/ml bovine albumin fraction -V (BAF), 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), 10% commercially obtained huma n serum (CHS), 10-15% pooled human serum from hospital patients (PHS), and 10-15% human serum from a single individual (SHS). Cultures were maintained at 37 C in an atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air. NI-BAF and NT-CH S did not support molting of L(3) to fourth-stage larvae (L(4)), where as NI-FBS, NI-PHS, and NI-SHS did support molting of L(3) to L(4) but only the larvae in NI-SHS attempted the fourth molt. Growth and develo pment of in vitro larvae in NI-PHS and NI-SHS were comparable to that observed in jirds for the first 28 days, after which the in vitro larv ae lagged behind in vivo larvae. Optimal growth and development may be dependent on certain as yet unidentified components of specific human serum.