In vitro culture of tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides corti using a gel based diphasic medium

Tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides corti were cultured in vitro in a diphasic medium consisting of a liquid medium (CMRL Sigma) and a thixotropic nutrient gel (Oxoid). Tests demonstrated that a 50% medium/gel mixture produced optimum conditions for the survival and development of tetrathyridia. Established anthelminthic drugs were inoculated into the gel which demonstrated that this system can be used for preliminary anthelminthic drug screening. The development and survival of the tetrathyridia were influenced by the addition of pepsin, trypsin and liver peptone to the culture media. The development and maturation of proglottids were observed in addition to asexual reproduction by the process of budding. Tetrathyridia maintained in vitro and reinfected into both mouse and rat hosts retained their viability.