Cultivation of Leishmania sp. in nutrient broth

Bone-marrow aspiration and biopsy material samples obtained from two patients, one diagnosed as visceral and other as cutaneous leishmaniasis, were inoculated in Novy, McNeal, Nicolle (NNN) medium and nutrient broth (NB), containing fetal calf serum (FCS), penicillin and streptomycine. Both media were incubated at 27 degrees C for 10 days and observed daily for L. infantum and L. major promastigotes. Promastigotes were observed in nutrient broth after the first day, while in NNN media after the second or third day of incubation, indicating the effectiveness of nutrient broth in early diagnosis of both forms of leishmaniasis.