Viscerotropic Leishmania tropical: transformation to amastigotes in cell-free media.

Promastigotes of a viscerotropic Leishmania tropica strain, originally isolated from a U.S. veteran returning from the Gulf War, was studied for extracellular transformation to amastigotes. Promastigotes were grown in three different media namely, Schneider's Drosophila, Dulbecco's modified Eagle Medium (D-MEM) and RPMI-1640. For each medium the effect of low pH (5.8), elevated temperature (34 degrees C) and the effect of both conditions combined were compared. Cells were counted and examined for morphological changes daily. Transformation to morphologically typical amastigotes occurred in D-MEM and Schneider's media at each of the three different experimental conditions with maximum transformation occurring on day eight in D-MEM maintained at pH 5.8 and 34 degrees C. Complete transformation was not achieved in RPMI-1640 under any of the experimental conditions described. Transformed amastigotes could successfully infect murine macrophages indicating biological competence. Amastigotes could not be propagated under any of the conditions described herein.

The relation between Trichomonas vaginalis and contraceptive measures.

PIP: The relationship between the incidence of trichomonas vaginalis and the use of oral contraceptive (OC) pills was observed in 100 females from the outpatient clinic of Cairo University Hospital. 50 patients took the OC Anovlar and 50 used a size 3 Lippes Loop. 2 sample discharges were analyzed before contraceptive use, i.e. 1 wet smear on a clean slide and the other cultured on Trichosol trypticase serum medium (STS) composed of Trypticase 20 gm, cysteine Hcl 1 1/2 gm, maltose 1 gm, agar 1 gm, methylene blue .003 gm, chloamphenicol .1 gm, and distilled water 950 ml. These 2 analyses were repeated at 1, 3, and 6 months after OC use. The findings indicate the presence of trichomonas vaginalis in 36% of OC users at 3 months and 58% at 6 months, at a significant level of .05 and .01. Before use it was 2%. The Lippes Loop users has 0% before use and 6% at 3 and 6 months at .05 level of significance. The results coincide with other reported results.^ieng