INVITRO CULTIVATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICAN STRAINS OF PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM AND GAMETOCYTOGENESIS

Abstract

Sixteen southern African isolates of Plasmodium falciparum were successfully established and maintained in gassed tissue culture flasks which were either held in a static position or shaken. Shaken cultures eithered 48-hour growth rates ranging from 3,9-fold to 9,5-fold and peak parasitaemias ranging from 9% to 27%. Growth rates in static flasks were lower, ranging from 1,8-fold to 4,2-fold every 48 hours with peak parasitaemias ranging from 4% to 12%. Four of the established isolates were treated so as to promote gametocytogenesis and the rate of gametocyte production was found to be high. The mean percentage gametocytes by day 20-25 was 4,2% of erythrocytes, which represented approximately 50% of total parasites.