To All,
In the field of clinical and dairy anaerobic microbiology a large
number of selective isolation media are used. Some may be really
selective, some may be relatively non-selective. It seams that each
laboratory is using their own set of media. Unfortunately, this makes
comparing data rather difficult, if not impossible.
I am currently making a kind of database of media currently used for
isolation of anaerobic bacteria from clinical and dairy sources. Using
this database we might finally end up with a number of much used and
reliable isolation media.
Therefore I would like to ask those who are working with anaerobes, if
they would mail or fax me the following information:
- which media are being used (an abbreviation could be used if it is a
medium described in the literature)
- if the media are prepared using a special in-house modification, a
description of the modifications
- known selectivity of the media (if published only a reference),
especially known contaminating flora. Only a very limited number of
publications actually describe the selectivity of a certain medium
- use of the media; i.e. human intestinal/human vaginal/rat
intestinal/dairy starters a.s.o.
- average bacterial numbers isolated on the media (if available)
I am looking for the following bacterial groups:
total anaerobes
bifidobacteria
lactobacilli
clostridia total
Cl. perfringens
Cl. difficile
anaerobic streptococci
pepto(strepto)cocci
megasphaerae and veillonellae
eubacteria
fusobacteria
bacteroides
B. fragilis-group
bilophila
treponema/serpula
other groups when available
So far I have included over 60 media from >100 publications.
The results will be published on paper and/or electronically. All
participants will receive a paper copy of the first version of the
database.
Hopefully awaiting....
Ralf Hartemink
Intestinal microbiology group
Dept Food Microbiology
Wageningen Agricultural University
PO Box 8129
6700 EV Wageningen
The Netherlands
fax +31-317-484893
e-mail : ralf.hartemink at algemeen.lenm.wau.nl
