Multilaboratory Comparison of Growth Characteristics for Anaerobes, Using 5 Different Agar Media

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 35; no. Supplement-1; pp. S36 - S39
• Main Authors: Roe, D. E., Finegold, S. M., Citron, D. M., Goldstein, E. J. C., Wexler, H. M., Rosenblatt, J. E., Cox, M. E., Jenkins, S. G., Hecht, D. W.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01-09-2002; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Aerobic bacteria; Anaerobic bacteria; Anaerobic conditions; Bacteria, Anaerobic - drug effects; Bacteria, Anaerobic - growth & development; Bacteriology; Bacteroides; Biological and medical sciences; Blood; Brucella; Culture Media - pharmacology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fusobacteria; Growth, nutrition, cell differenciation; Hemin - pharmacology; Humans; Inoculation; Microbiology; Microbiology Section; Prevotella; Research and development laboratories; Vitamin K 1 - pharmacology; Culture medium; Microbiological investigation; Microbiology; Anaerobe; Growth; Characteristic; Agar; Bacteria; Laboratory; Comparative study
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1086/341918

A multilaboratory study compared the growth of 30 fastidious anaerobes, using 5 different agar media: Wilkins-Chalgren (WC), WC with either whole or laked sheep blood, and Brucella supplemented with vitamin K1 and hemin and either laked or whole sheep blood. The media were compared for quality and quantity of growth. Experiments were conducted either entirely in an anaerobic chamber or inoculated in ambient air with anaerobic incubation. The results showed that (1) any medium plus whole or laked blood was better than unsupplemented WC, (2) whole blood and laked blood additives gave similar results, (3) supplemented Brucella with whole or laked blood was superior to WC and WC with whole or laked blood, and (4) anaerobic and aerobic inoculation with anaerobic incubation gave similar results. Brucella agar supplemented with whole or laked blood supports the growth of fastidious anaerobic species better than the WC agars do.