Semisolid liver infusion tryptose supplemented with human urine allows growth and isolation of Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli clonal lineages.

Introduction: This work shows that 3% (v/v) human urine (HU) in semisolid Liver Infusion Tryptose (SSL) medium favors the growth of Trypanosoma cruzi and T. rangeli.
Methods: Parasites were plated as individual or mixed strains on SSL medium and on SSL medium with 3% human urine (SSL-HU). Isolate DNA was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).
Results: SSL-HU medium improved clone isolation. PCR revealed that T. cruzi strains predominate on mixed-strain plates. PFGE confirmed that isolated parasites share the same molecular karyotype as parental cell lines.
Conclusions: SSL-HU medium constitutes a novel tool for obtaining T. cruzi and T. rangeli clonal lineages.