IN-VITRO CULTURE OF ESTRUS-OVIS (LINNE 1761) FIRST INSTAR LARVAE - ITS APPLICATION TO ANTIPARASITIC DRUG SCREENING

A culture medium in which Ist instar larvae of Oestrus ovis can surviv e for up to 2 months has been developed with Dulbecco's Modified Eagle 's Medium (DMEM) pH 7.7, penicillin 100 U/ml, streptomycin 100 mu g ml (-1) gentamicin 10 mu g ml(-1) and foetal calf serum (50%) added. Larv ae were incubated in flat plastic tissue culture bottles (3 ml of medi um) in a 5% CO2 atmosphere at 37 degrees C in darkness. Subsequently a n antiparasitic in vitro screening test was developed with moxidectin and closentel. These dregs were not as effective in vitro as in vivo. This might be due to the fact that they cause damage to parasites and host immune responses, then contribute to their death. Copyright (C) 1 997 Australian Society for Parasitology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.