Direct isolation in vitro of Trypanosoma brucei from man and other animals, and its potential value for the diagnosis of gambian trypanosomiasis

Abstract A recently described simple kit for isolating African trypansomes in vitro ( kivi ) was tested further with blood samples from man and other animals in Cote d'Ivoire and Republique du Congo. A high rate of success was achieved, with positive cultures being found 5–36 d after inoculation. The method was also of value in diagnosis. Parasitaemia was initially detected by the haematocrit method; in addition, the minianion exchange column was used for human blood and lymph fluid from patients with swollen glands was examined. The card agglutination test ( catt ) was applied to the human blood samples. In Cote d'Ivoire, all 5 parasitaemic patients, who were also positive by catt , yielded positive kivi cultures. Of 15 animals, 2 parasitaemic and 10 apparently aparasitaemic individuals gave positive cultures. In the Congo, none of the 22 animals was parasitaemic and none gave a positive culture. Of 647 human subjects initially screened, 61, mostly with a positive catt , were examined by kivi ; 20 gave positive cultures. Seven of these cultures originated from patients in whom no trypanosome had been seen in blood or lymph fluid, although blood from 2 parasitaemic patients failed to yield positive kivi cultures. Some patients with catt -negative whole blood and/or serum were positive by kivi .