Maintenance and Growth of Hymenolepis microstoma (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidea) In vitro

Hymenolepis microstoma has been grown in vitro from the cysticercoid stage to the young tapeworm. A basal medium HM 67 has been established from stock solutions of Medium 115 (Berntzen and Mueller, 1964) and is composed of 6% component A, 28% component B:C:D:E:F (20:20:20:20:5; v:v), 50% Earle's + 0.5% glucose, and 16% distilled water. With Medium HM 67 + 30% serum (pH 7.5) under air, worms grew from 0.160 mm to an average length of 0.950 mm. The addition of 1% whole hamster bile resulted in further growth to an average length of 4.75 mm. Terminal proglottids of cultured worms contained normal appearing testes, seminal vesicle, seminal receptacle, cirrus, and ovary.