Type of media Contains Examples of media Examples of organisms Purpose

Basic media Source of carbon, Nutrient agar and Non fastidious organisms- Grow and count cells
energy, nitrogen, nutrient broth E. coli, Bacillus and Cultivate select
growth factors, trace staphylococcus microorganism
elements.
Enriched Contains extra Blood agar and Streptococcus pneumonia Growth of fastidious
media nutrients such as blood chocolate agar organisms
(solid/gel like)
Enrichment Contains coiled bovine Brain heart HACEK organisms Target very specific
media (liquid or porcine heart and infusion broth fastidious organisms
like) brain with other
nutrients
Differential Compounds that allow Blood agar, Salmonella, shigella, non- Differentiate between
media groups of organisms to MacConkey agar, pathogenic gut bacteria organisms by the
be distinguishable XLD agar appearance of the
colony and
surrounding media
Selective Contains things that Any media that has Vibrio cholera grows in Select out for specific
media affect the pH to an antibiotic-like APW but other gut growth of organisms
suppress organisms amikaesin agar, microbes are supressed. by inhibiting the
with different growth alkaline peptone growth of others.
requirements(example water (APW),
)
Antimicrobial Contains antibiotics Meullar Hilton Any organism The CLSI gives an
testing media that will determine the agar, meullar indication of how the
susceptibility of Hilton agar with microbes are affected
organisms sheep by measuring the
blood(fastidious zones of inhibition if
organisms), any
haemophilus test
medium

Type of culturing Technique

Heavy growth Pure culture that requires a large number of microbes.
No dilution needed. Plate the primary inoculation on the
centre of the plate then without flaming, begin at the top
and go down in a zig zag pattern across the plate.
Streak plate ( single colonies) Purpose is to isolate single colonies/ dilute the initial
inoculum. Place the initial inoculum and then flame the
inoculating tube. drag out from initial inoculum. Repeat
till last bit dragged out and then make a zig zag pattern in
the middle of the plate.
Spread plate (colony counts) Purpose is to count the number of colony forming units.
Use a dilution series to dilute the initial broth. From then
plate a ml onto a plate and spread using a hockey stick.