A culture medium for Trichomonas vaginalis donné and species of Candida.

The laboratory methods usually employed for detecting Trichomonas vaginalis in secretions are the microscopic examination of wet films or fixed, stained smears, and the culture of the parasites in artificial media. In recent years the cultural method has become more widely used as an aid in the diagnosis of trichomoniasis. Different culture media have been employed for this purpose with varying degrees of success, and this paper describes a medium which seems particularly suitable, because it is cheap, easy to prepare and use, and keeps well. During the past 40 years many attempts have been made to grow T. vaginalis in a variety of media. At first simple liquid bacteriological media were used (Lynch, 1915; Reuling, 1921; Fischer, 1935, for example). Richer media of the type used by Boeck and Drbohlav (1925) have also given good results (Andrews, 1929; Hawes, 1947; Whittington, 1951, for example). All these media had the disadvantage of favouring the growth of the accompanying bacteria as well as that of the trichomonads. Johnson and Trussell (1943) and Sprince and Kupferberg (1947) used elaborate media for maintaining bacteria-free cultures of T. vaginalis. The value of these media for diagnostic purposes is unknown, however, and they are too complex and expensive for ordinary routine work. McEntegart (1952) simplified Johnson and Trussell's (1943) formula for use in his studies on T. vaginalis, and Feinberg (1953) substantially modified McEntegart's medium and succeeded in growing the parasites in large numbers for experimental work. A further modification of this medium by Feinberg was suggested for use in routine diagnostic work, and the present investigation has been carried out to assess its value.