Dichloran as an antifungal agent in the routine maintenance of leptospiral cultures

Periodic cultivation of leptospires in culture media remains the standard method for preserving these bacteria, as alternative procedures may compromise their viability. However, prolonged incubation periods and continuous handling of cultures favor contamination by filamentous fungi, which can ultimately kill the leptospires. Therefore, this study evaluated the use of Dichloran as a fungal suppressor in the maintenance of Leptospira spp. isolates. The results demonstrated that Dichloran is a promising compound due to its low cost, ease of preparation, and lack of inhibitory effects on the bacteria when used at a specific concentration.