PLATING MEDIA FOR ROUTINE BACTERIOLOGY

MEDIUM COMPONENTS PRIMARY PURPOSE

BILE ESCULIN AGAR Nutrient agar base with ferric citrate. Hydrolysis of esculin by Difffernetial isolation and presumptive
(BEA) group D streptococci imparts a brown color to the medium; identification of Group D streptococci
sodium desoxycholate inhibits many bacteria and enterococci

BILE ESCULIN AZIDE Contains azide to inhibit gram-negative bacteria, vancomycin Selective and differential for cultivation
AGAR WITH to select for resistant gram-positive bacteria, and bile esculin of vancomycin-resistant enterococci
VANCOMYCIN to differentiate enterococci from other vancomycin-resistant from clinical and surveillance
bacteria that may grow specimens

BLOOD AGAR Trypticase soy agar, Brucella agar, or beef heart infusion with Cultivation of infectious
5% sheep blood microorganisms, determination of
hemolytic reactions

BORDET-GENGOU Potato-glycerol-based medium enriched with 15-20% Isolation of Bordetella pertussis

AGAR defibrinated blood. Contaminants inhibited by methicillin

BUFFERED Yeast extract, agar, charcoal, and salts supplemented with I- Enrichment for Legionella spp.
CHARCOAL- YEAST cysteine, HCl, ferric pyrophosphate, ACES buffer, and α-
EXTRACT ketoglutarate
(BCYE) AGAR

BUFFERED BCYE supplemented with polymyxin B, vancomycin and Enrichment and selection for
CHARCOAL- YEAST ansamycin, to inhibit gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive Legionella spp.
EXTRACT bacteria, and yeast, respectively
(BCYE) AGAR WITH
ANTIBIOTICS

CAMPY- BLOOD AGAR Contains vancomycin (10mg/L), trimethoprim (5mg/L), and Selective for Campylobacter spp.
polymixin B (2500U/L), amphotericin B (2mg/L), &
cephalothin (15mg/L) in a Brucella agar base with sheep
blood

CAMPYLOBACTER Thioglycollate broth supplemented with increased agar Selective holding medium for recovery
THIOGLYCOLLATE concentration and antibiotics of Campylobacter spp.
BROTH

CEFOPERAZONE, Blood-supplemented enrichment medium containing Selective medium for isolation of

VANCOMYCIN, cefoperazone, vancomycin and amphotericin to inhibit growth Campylobacter spp.
AMPHOTERICIN (CVA) of most gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria and
MEDIUM yeast, respectively

CEFSULODIN- Peptone base with yeast extract, mannitol and bile salts. Selective for Yersinia spp.; may be
IRGASAN- Supplemented with cefsulodin, irgasan and novobiocin; useful for isolation of Aeromonas spp.
NOVOBIOCIN (CIN) neutral red and crystal violet indicators
AGAR

CHOCOLATE AGAR Peptone base, enriched with solution of 2% hemoglobin or Cultivation of fastidious
isovitalex (BBL) microorganisms such as Haemophilus
spp., Brucella spp. and pathogenic
Neisseria spp.

COLUMBIA COLISTIN- Columbia agar base with 10 mg colistin per liter, 15 mg Selective isolation of gram-positive
NALIDIXIC ACID nalidixic acid per liter, and 5% sheep blood cocci
(CNA) AGAR

CYSTINE-TELLURITE Infusion agar with 5% sheep blood. Reduction of potasssium Isolation of C.diphtheriae
BLOOD AGAR tellurite by C.diphtheriae produces black colonies

EOSIN METHYLENE Peptone base with lactose and sucrose. Eosin and methylene Isolation and differentiation of lactose-
BLUE (EMB) AGAR blue as indicators fermenting and non-lactose fermenting
(LEVINE) enteric bacilli

GRAM NEGATIVE Peptone base broth with glucose and mannitol. Sodium citrate Selective (enrichment) medium for
PLATING MEDIA FOR ROUTINE BACTERIOLOGY

BROTH (GN) and sodium desoxycholate act as inhibitory agents enteric pathogens

HEKTOEN ENTERIC Peptone base agar with bile salts, lactose, sucrose and salicin, Differential, selective medium for
(HE) AGAR and ferric ammonium citrate. Indicators include bromthymol isolation and differentiation of
blue and acid fuchsin Salmonella and Shigella spp. from
other gram-negative enteric bacilli

MACCONKEY AGAR Peptone base with lactose. Gram-positive organisms inhibited Isolation and differentiation of lactose-
by crystal violet and bile salts. Neutral red as indicator fermenting and non-lactose fermenting
enteric bacilli

MACCONKEY A modification of MacConkey agar in which lactose has been For the selection and differentiation of
SORBITOL AGAR replaced with d-sorbitol as the primary carbohydrate E.coli O157:H7 in stool specimens

MANNITOL SALT Peptone base, mannitol, and phenol red indicator. Salt Selective isolation of Staphylococci
AGAR concentration of 7.5% inhibits most bacteria

NEW YORK CITY Peptone agar base with cornstarch, supplemented with yeast Selective for N.gonorrhoeae
AGAR dialysate, 3% hemoglobin and horse plasma. Antibiotic
supplement includes vancomycin, colistin, amphotericin B,
and trimethoprim

PHENYLETHYL Nutrient agar base. Phenylethanol inhibits growth of gram- Selective isolation of gram-positive
ALCOHOL (PEA) AGAR negative organisms cocci and anaerobic gram-negative
bacilli

REGAN LOWE Charcoal agar supplemented with horse blood, cephalexin, Enrichment and selective medium for
and amphotericin B isolation of B.pertussis

SALMONELLA- Peptone base with lactose, ferric citrate, and sodium citrate. Selective for Salmonella and Shigella
SHIGELLA (SS) AGAR Neutral red as indicator; inhibition of coliforms by brilliant
green and bile salts

SCHAEDLER AGAR Peptone and soy protein base agar with yeast extract, Nonselective medium for the recovery
dextrose, and buffers. Addition of hemin, I-cystine, and 5% of anaerobes and aerobes
blood enriches for anaerobes

SELENITE BROTH Peptone base broth. Sodium selenite toxic for most Enrichment of isolation of Salmonella
Enterobacteriaceae spp.

SKIRROW AGAR Peptone and soy protein base agar with lysed horse blood. Selective for Campylobacter spp.
Vancomycin inhibits gram-positive organisms;polymyxin B
and trimethoprim inhibit most gram-negative organisms

STREPTOCOCCAL Contains Crystal violet, Colistin, and trimethoprim Selective for S.pyogenes and
SELECTIVE AGAR sulfamethoxazole in 5% sheep blood agar base S.agalactiae
(SSA)

TETRATHIONATE Peptone base broth. Bile salts and sodium thiosulfate inhibit Selective for Salmonella and Shigella
BROTH gram-positive organisms and Enterobacteriaceae spp.

THAYER-MARTIN Blood agar base enriched with hemoglobin and supplement; Selective for N.gonorrhoeae and
AGAR contaminating organisms are inhibited by colistin, nystatin, N.meningitidis
vancomycin and trimethoprim

THIOGLYCOLLATE Pancreatic digest of casein, soy broth, glucose enrich growth Supports growth of anaerobes,
BROTH of most microorganisms microaerophilic and fastidious
microorganisms

THIOSULFATE Peptone base agar with yeast extract, bile salts, citrate, Selective and differential for Vibrio
CITRATE- BILE SALT sucrose, ferric citrate and sodium thiosulfate. Bromthymol spp.
SUCROSE (TCBS) blue act as an indicator
AGAR

TODD-HEWITT BROTH An enrichment broth for streptococci, supplemented with Selective and enrichment for
PLATING MEDIA FOR ROUTINE BACTERIOLOGY

SUPPLEMENTED WITH nalidixic acid and gentamicin or colistin for greater selectivity S.agalactiae in female genital
ANTIBIOTICS thioglycollate and agar reduce redox potential specimens

TRYPTICASE SOY All- purpose enrichment broth that can support the growth of Enrichment broth used for subculturing
BROTH many fastidious and non-fastidious bacteria various bacteria from primary agar
plates

XYLOSE LYSINE Yeast extract agar with lysine, xylose, lactose, sucrose and Isolation and differentiation of
DESOXYCHOLATE ferric ammonium citrate. Sodium desoxycholate inhibits Salmonella and Shigella spp. from other
(XLD) AGAR gram-positive organisms; phenol red as indicator gram-negative enteric-bacilli