[Continuous in vitro culture of Plasmodium falciparum using microaerophilic gas generators and portable incubator].

AnaeroPack Malaria Culture System (SUGIYAMA-GEN Co., Ltd.) using AnaeroPack.plas (5% O2, 5% CO2) and AnaeroPack.CO2 (15% O2, 6% CO2) was evaluated by comparing with the standard laboratory in vitro continuous culture technique. Two culture-adapted strains of Plasmodium falciparum, SGE-1 (chloroquine sensitive strain) and K1 (chloroquine resistant strain), were continuously cultured for 26 days in vitro under the 3 systems. The parasite proliferation curves under the different set systems were paralleled in both strains, which demonstrate that this AnaeroPack Malaria Culture System is useful for the culture-adapted strains of P. falciparum. Although further test using isolates from falciparum malaria patients should be carried out, the AnaeroPack Malaria Culture System seems promising for the culture in the field studies.