Wrażliwość Trichomonas vaginalis na wysychanie

Twelve strains of T. vaginalis were tested for their sensitivity to dessication at room temperature. Each of them, in the quantity of 0.5 cm³ of 36 hrs old culture (containing 2.5 mln cells) was placed in 5 sterilized tubes containing 2:5 cm³ of: sterilized Roiron medium, urine, 0.9% NaCl, tap water and distilled water. After shaking, the suspension of Trichomonas of each tube in the quantity of 0.15 cm³ was placed on depression slides. The slides were then placed in sterilized, not tightly covered Petri dishes, which were kept at room temperature. The suspension of 3 slides was examined under microscope and inoculated on Roiron medium prior to complete dessication. The same procedure was followed with respect to the fourth slide but only after the suspension had, dried. The suspension remaining in the tube (2.4 cm³) served as control. The experiment showed that in a drop of 0.9% NaCl, urine and Roiron medium, Trichomonas remains active for 120 min. When transferred to Roiron medium within that time, Trichomonas reproduces in a normal way which was not observed after a transfer from the suspension dried up. In a drop of water Trichomonas loses its ability to reproduce within a time shorter than 120 min. The results speak in favour of a possibility of a non-sexual infection with Trichomonas.