A chemically defined medium for the growth of Cowdria ruminantium.

Chemically defined media, termed SFMC-23 and SFMC-36, were devised for the in vitro culture of Cowdria ruminantium, the causative agent of heartwater in domestic ruminants. Both media were based on Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium nutrient mixture Ham F-12 (DME/F-12) containing various supplements. Medium SFMC-23 and SFMC-36 supported the long-term growth of the Welgevonden stock of C. ruminantium for a total of 55 and 28 passages, respectively, with regular passage intervals of 3 days. Using SFMC-23, split ratios varied from 5-10, depending on which host cell line was used. Other stocks of C. ruminantium (Sankat, Blaauwkrantz, Senegal) were successfully propagated for a test period of ten passages.