Professional Documents
Culture Documents
By Frances Duncan With contributions from Valerie Walker and Neil Clark Fourth Edition 2005
Table of Contents Topic Safety Aseptic Technique Microscopy Smears Staining Culturing and Isolation Techniques Staphylococcus Streptococcus Throat Culture Oxidase Urea Triple Sugar Iron Agar (TSI) Motility IMViC Disc Diffusion Susceptibility Methods Guidelines for Identification of Unknowns References Page Number 3 8 11 17 20 25 33 38 45 48 50 52 56 58 61 67 70
Safety
Introduction In the laboratory individuals are exposed to hazards not found in a regular classroom. It is essential that students follow all rules established by the lab instructor, lab manager, or lab assistant to ensure the safety of all individuals in the class. Failure to follow established rules may result in dismissal of the individual from the class. Laboratories have certain standard safety equipment. These typically include a general-purpose fire extinguisher, eyewash, safety shower and cut off switches for electrical and gas outlets. It is the responsibility of the student to locate and know how to use the general safety equipment in the laboratory. Additionally, students should be aware of exits from the room in case of emergency, the location of the nearest fire call box, how to summon Campus Security, and how to obtain emergency medical assistance. The microbiology lab has some additional safety considerations. Since individuals work with potentially pathogenic organisms care must be taken to prevent possible infection or transmission of the organisms from the laboratory. Students must wear protective clothing (lab coats) while working the laboratory. Lab coats may not be worn outside the laboratory. Intact skin is an adequate barrier against microorganisms so gloves are not necessary in lab. Gloves will be provided and students may wear gloves when handling cultures if they so desire. Tabletops must be disinfected before and after lab using the disinfectant provided. Instruction in aseptic technique will be provided. Aseptic technique must be followed while working with microorganisms. Handwashing is a simple and effective way to prevent the transmission of disease. While antibacterial soap may provide some additional protection the major effect of handwashing is the mechanical removal of microbes from the skin. Friction when washing hands is important to mechanically remove organisms from the surface of the skin. Using a paper towel to turn off the water prevents recontamination of the hands with microorganisms. Hands must be washed whenever the student leaves the lab. Two copies of the Laboratory Safety Rules are included. One must be signed and returned to the laboratory instructor at the end of class. The additional copy is for your reference.
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I have read and understand the above rules and agree to follow them. Signed_____________________________________________ Date_________________ Name (Please print)________________________________________________________
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10. All accidents, cuts, and any damaged glassware or equipment should be reported to the lab instructor immediately. 11. Sterilization techniques will involve the use of Bacticinerators that are fire and burn hazards. o o Bacticinerators reach an internal temperature of 850 C or 1500 F. Keep all combustibles away from the Bacticinerators. Do not leave inoculating loops or needles propped in the Bacticinerator. 12. Microscopes and other instruments are to be cared for as directed by the instructor. 13. It is the responsibility of the student to know the location and use of all safety equipment in the lab (eyewash, fire extinguisher, etc.) 14. Cultures may not be removed from the lab. Visitors are not allowed in the lab. 15. Doors and windows are to be kept closed at all times. 16. For the best lab experience, read labs before coming to class. Make notes as necessary. Wait for a laboratory introduction by the instructor before starting work. I have read and understand the above rules and agree to follow them. Signed_____________________________________________ Date_________________ Name (Please print)________________________________________________________
Safety Review Questions 1. List all emergency exits from the laboratory.
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You have just disinfected your lab table. Where do you dispose of the paper towels you used?
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After washing your hands, where do you dispose of your paper towels?
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When discarding reusable contaminated material where do you put it? What must be done to it before it is discarded?
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It is the end of lab. What must you do before you leave lab? List the tasks in order of performance.
Aseptic Technique
Introduction When working with microorganisms it is desirable to work with a pure culture. A pure culture is composed of only one kind of microorganism. Occasionally a mixed culture is used. In a mixed culture there are two or more organisms that have distinct characteristics and can be separated easily. In either situation the organisms can be identified. When unwanted organisms are introduced into the culture they are known as contaminants. Aseptic technique is a method that prevents the introduction of unwanted organisms into an environment. When changing wound dressings aseptic technique is used to prevent possible infection. When working with microbial cultures aseptic technique is used to prevent introducing additional organisms into the culture. Microorganisms are everywhere in the environment. When dealing with microbial cultures it is necessary to handle them in such a way that environmental organisms do not get introduced into the culture. Microorganisms may be found on surfaces and floating in air currents. They may fall from objects suspended over a culture or swim in fluids. Aseptic technique prevents environmental organisms from entering a culture. Doors and windows are kept closed in the laboratory to prevent air currents which may cause microorganisms from surfaces to become airborne. Once these microbes are airborne they are more likely to get into cultures. Transfer loops and needles are sterilized before and after use in the Bacticinerator to prevent introduction of unwanted organisms. Agar plates are held in a manner that minimizes the exposure of the surface to the environment. When removing lids from tubes, lids are held in the hand and not placed on the countertop during the transfer of materials from one tube to another. These techniques are the basis of laboratory aseptic technique. In this laboratory exercise the location of environmental organisms will be explored and how microorganisms can be transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces.
Laboratory Procedure General Instructions 1. Students will work in groups. Materials/Equipment 2 blood agar or nutrient agar plates per student plus one plate per group Markers Instructions 1. Label one plate Open. Write on the agar containing side of the plate, not on the lid. Remove the lid from the plate and place in on the lab table, agar side up, until the end of lab. 2. Obtain one agar plate per student and draw a line on the agar containing side of the plate to divide the plate in half. Label one side dirty and one side clean. Remove the lid and gently touch your fingertips to the agar on the dirty side. Replace the lid. Wash your hands or clean your hands with hand sanitizer and gently touch your fingertips to the agar on the clean side of the plate Obtain one agar plate per student and using a marker divide the plate into quadrants. Label the quadrants 1, 2, 3, and 4. Put on gloves and try to touch as few surfaces as possible. The lab instructor will swab the left gloved palm of each student. Remove the lid from your agar plate and touch the first two fingers of your right hand to the agar in quadrant 1. Replace the lid on the agar plate and touch the first two fingers of your right hand to the left palm of another student in your group. Remove the lid from your agar plate and touch the first two fingers of your right hand to the agar in quadrant 2. Repeat steps 6 and 7 with two other students in your group and inoculate quadrants 3 and 4. Carefully remove your gloves and place them in the biohazard container. Wash your hands. Replace the lid on the open plate. Stack all plates agar side up and incubate them until the next lab period. During the next lab period examine plates for growth and record results on page 10. Discard all plates in the biohazard container.
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Are organisms found in the air? What results support your conclusions?
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Record your results from the first plate you inoculated with your hands in the chart below. Side of Plate dirty clean Results
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What effect does hand washing have on microorganisms? Should you ever touch a sterile surface?
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Record the results from the second plate you inoculated with gloved hands in the chart below. Quadrant 1 2 3 4 Results
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One person in your group had microorganisms swabbed on their glove. The others did not. From you results can you determine who had the contaminated glove?
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What conclusions can you draw from your data concerning where microbes are found in the environment?
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Microscopy
Introduction Microorganisms are too small to be seen with the naked eye so a microscope must be used to visualize these organisms. While a microscope is not difficult to use it does require some practice to develop the skills necessary to use the microscope to its maximum capabilities. Bacteria and other cellular microorganisms are measured in micrometers (m) or 1 x 10-6 meters. Viruses are even smaller and are measured in nanometers (nm) or 1 x 10-9 m. When carrying a microscope always use both hands. One should be on the arm of the microscope and one should be under the base of the microscope. Discussion There are several types of microscopes but the only one used in this laboratory is the compound light or bright-field microscope. Individual microscopes will vary depending on the manufacturer but all microscopes have the same basic features. Ocular Nosepiece Arm Coarse Adjustment Knob Fine Adjustment Knob Light Source
Base
These microscopes are known as compound microscopes because there are two magnifying lenses in the microscope. One magnifying lens is in the ocular and one is in the objective. Each contributes to the magnification of the object on the stage. The total magnification of any set of lenses is determined by multiplying the magnification of the objective by the magnification of the ocular. The nosepiece rotates allowing the objectives to change and thus change the magnification of the microscope.
The stage is where the slide is placed. The stage adjustment knobs allow the slide to be moved easily. Light provides the illumination for the specimen. To control
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the amount of light reaching the eye the iris diaphragm may be opened or closed using the lever just under the stage. On low magnifications less light is need than on higher magnifications. Too much light on low magnification may mask the specimen, particularly something as small as a bacterial cell. The coarse and fine adjustment knobs are used to focus on the specimen. When a slide is on the stage there is a space between the objective and the slide. This space is known as the working distance. The coarse adjustment knob will cause the working distance to visibly change while the fine adjustment knob is for final, fine focusing. The ability to see things using a microscope is limited by the resolving power of the microscope. The resolving power of a microscope is the distance two objects must be apart and still be seen as separate and distinct. For the light microscope this is 0.2 m. Objects closer together than 0.2 m will not be distinctly seen. Increasing the magnification will not make the objects more distinct, just bigger. Each objective has the magnification of the objective written on the objective. The magnification of the ocular is also inscribed on the ocular. Low magnifications are used for quickly examining the slide to find an appropriate area to examine. Higher magnifications allow the examination of a particular object on the slide. Examine your microscope and complete the table below.
Objective
Scanning Low Power High Power Oil Immersion
Total Magnification
When you look through the ocular you will see a lighted circle. This is known as the field of view or the field. While looking through the microscope move the iris diaphragm lever and notice how the brightness of the light changes. As you move the objectives to provide increased magnification you will look at a smaller section of the slide. Be sure you move the object you want to view into the center of the field before moving to the next objective. These microscopes are parfocal. Once you have focused on an object using one objective the object will be approximately in focus on the next objective. Use of the fine focus knob will sharpen the focus.
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Procedure for Focusing 1. 2. 3. Obtain a slide. Use the coarse adjustment knob to obtain maximum working distance. Place the slide on the stage. The slide should fit into the slide holder but is not placed under the slide holder. Use the stage adjustment knob to move the slide over the hole in the stage. Rotate the low power (10X) objective in place. Use the coarse adjustment knob to obtain the minimum working distance. Develop the habit of watching this process to be sure the objective does not crash into the slide. Look through the ocular. Adjust the light with the iris diaphragm lever if necessary. Slowly turn the coarse adjustment knob until something comes into focus. Use the fine adjustment knob to sharpen the focus. Using the stage adjustment knob move the slide around until you find an area you wish to examine more closely. Move the slide until the object you wish to examine is in the center of the field. Rotate the high power objective into place. Use the fine adjustment knob to sharpen the focus. Do not use the coarse adjustment knob. Adjust the light using the iris diaphragm lever if necessary. Rotate the high power object halfway to the next position. Place a drop of immersion oil on the slide, then rotate the oil immersion objective into place. The objective should be immersed in the oil on the slide. Use the fine adjustment knob to sharpen the focus. Adjust the light using the iris diaphragm lever if necessary. When finished viewing the slide use the coarse adjustment knob to maximize the working distance and remove the slide from the stage. If you want to look at another slide, begin the process over. If you are finished with the microscope clean the microscope and return it to storage.
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Procedure for Cleaning a Microscope 1. 2. Turn off the light and unplug the cord. Store the cord appropriately. Using the coarse adjustment knob to obtain maximum working distance and remove the slide from the stage. Using lens paper clean all the lenses starting with the cleanest firstocular, low power, high power and oil immersion. Use lens cleaner if necessary. Clean any oil off of the stage using Kimwipes or paper towels. Rotate the scanning objective into place. Use the coarse adjustment knob to obtain minimum working distance. Return the microscope to the appropriate storage area.
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Define: Resolving power Parfocal Field Working distance Tell the function of each of the following. Coarse adjustment knob Fine adjustment knob Iris diaphragm Stage adjustment knob What unit of measurement is used for measuring bacteria?
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Smears
Introduction The microscopic examination of microorganisms is a valuable identification technique. In order to view microbes it is necessary to prepare slides of the organisms. Microscopic preparations may be either wet mounts or smears. Wet mounts involve placing cells in a drop of water, adding a coverslip and viewing the material under the microscope. In microbiology most of the organisms viewed are bacteria which are small and difficult to see without staining. Wet mounts are temporary preparations and the ability to stain is limited. A smear is a thin preparation of cells allowed to dry on a slide. This material is then fixed to the slide using heat or a chemical. A smear is a more permanent preparation and may be stained using a variety of techniques. Smears are made using plain tap water. While tap water is not sterile it has too few organisms in it to interfere with a bacterial smear. At least 500,000 cells per milliliter must be present in order to see one cell per oil immersion field. Bacteria are mixed in water and allowed to dry on the slide to make a bacterial smear. This is then fixed to the slide using heat. Heat fixing helps attach the cells to the slide so they are not washed off during the staining process, kills the cells so the slide is not hazardous to handle, and alters the cell wall for staining. The number of cells placed on the slide is important for viewing the cells. Too few organisms and it is ha rd to find them on the slide. Too many organisms and it is difficult to see individual cells to determine their morphology or shape. Laboratory Procedure General Instructions 1. 2. Students work individually. To sterilize an inoculating loop or needle insert the loop or needle into the Bacticinerator and observe it. It must glow red for three seconds to be sterilized. Loops and needles should never be propped in the Bacticinerator. The handles are aluminum and will melt. Also they conduct heat readily a nd can cause burns if the handles heat up. A hot loop or needle must cool slightly before touching a bacterial colony to prevent killing the cells. To aseptically remove a lid from a bottle or tube, grasp the lid with the little finger of the dominant ha nd. Twist the bottle or tube to loosen and remove the lid. Do not put the lid on the table but keep it in your hand while removing material from the bottle or tube. Return the lid to the bottle or tube by turning the bottle or tube to tighten the lid.
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Materials/Equipment Clean glass slides Prepared cultures of Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli Inoculating loop Bacticinerator Laboratory marker Instructions 1. Glass slides should be relatively clean and grease free. Slides that do not appear clean may be washed in soap and water and dried with a paper towel. Label two slides across one end Staph. and two slides E. coli. Work with one slide at a time. Sterilize an inoculating loop. Aseptically remove the lid from the water bottle and remove a loopful of water from the bottle. Return the lid to the bottle. Tap the loopful of water onto the center of one of the labeled slides. Sterilize the loop. Obtain a slant culture of one of the organisms. Aseptically remove the lid. Insert the sterile loop into the tube being careful not to touch the lip of the tube. Touch the loop to the surface of the agar. DO NOT scrape or dig into the agar. Remove the loop and return the lid to the tube. Mix the material on the loop in the drop of water on the appropriately labeled slide. Spread the drop over the surface of the slide making a uniform preparation of bacteria and water. The thinner the smear the quicker it will dry. Allow the smear to air dry. Heat fix the slide by passing it 10 times over the top of the Bacticinerator. The slide is ready for staining. It may be stored until needed. Repeat Steps 2 -8 to make two smears of Staphylococcus aureus and two smears of E. coli. Store the slides in slide boxes for use in future lab exercises.
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Smear Review Questions 1. Describe two preparations that may be used to observe microorganisms.
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Is it necessary to use sterile water when making a smear? Why or why not?
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List two reasons for not propping inoculating loops and needles in the Bacticinerator during sterilization.
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When removing a lid from a lid or a bottle using aseptic technique, what do you do with the lid?
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Staining
Introduction Bacteria have almost the same refractive index as water. This means when you try to view them using a microscope they appear as faint, gray shapes and are difficult to see. Staining cells makes them easier to see. Simple stains use only one dye that stains the cell wall of bacteria much like dying eggs at Easter. Differential stains use two or more stains and categorize cells into groups. Both staining techniques allow the detection of cell morphology, or shape, but the differential stain provides additional information concerning the cell. The most common differential stain used in microbiology is the Gram stain. Bacteria have three basic shapes or morphological types. Round cells are known as cocci, rod-shaped cells are bacilli, and spiral-shaped cells are spirilla.
Cocci
Bacilli
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Principle Simple Stain: The simple stain consists of one dye. The dye adheres to the cell wall and colors the cell making it easier to see. Gram Stain: The Gram stain is a differential stain. Four different reagents are used and the results are based on differences in the cell wall of bacteria. Some bacteria have relatively thick cell walls composed primarily of a carbohydrate known as peptidoglycan. Other bacterial cells have thinner cell walls composed of peptidoglycan and lipopolysaccharides. Peptidoglycan is not soluble in non polar or organic solvents such as alcohol or acetone, but lipopolysaccharides are nonpolar and will dissolve in nonpolar organic solvents.
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Crystal violet acts as the primary stain. This stain can also be used as a simple stain because it colors the cell wall of any bacteria. Grams iodine acts as a mordant. This reagent reacts with the crystal violet to make a large crystal that is not easily washed out of the cell. At this point in the staining process all cells will be the same color. The difference in the cell wall structure is displayed by the use of the decolorizer. A solution of acetone and alcohol is used on the cells. The decolorizer does not affect those cell walls composed primarily of peptidoglycan but those with the lipid component will have large holes develop in the cell wall where the lipid is dissolved away by the acetone and alcohol. These large holes will allow the crystal violet-iodine complex to be washed out of the cell leaving the cell colorless. A counterstain, safranin, is applied to the cells which will dye the colorless cells. The cells that retain the primary stain will appear blue or purple and are known as Gram positive. Cells that stain with the counterstain will appear pink or red and are known as Gram negative. The lipopolysaccharide of the Gram negative cell not only accounts for the staining reaction of the cell but also acts as an endotoxin. This endotoxin is released when the cell dies and is responsible for the fever and general feeling of malaise that accompanies a Gram negative infection. When reporting a Gram stain you must indicate the stain used, the reaction, and the morphology of the cell. Round, purple (blue) cells would be reported as Gram positive cocci and rod-shaped, purple (blue) cells would be reported as Gram positive bacilli. There are standard abbreviations that may be used for these reports. GPC GNC GPB GNB Gram positive cocci Gram negative cocci Gram positive bacilli Gram negative bacilli
The spiral-shaped bacteria of medical importance do not Gram stain well and are usually demonstrated using a dark-field microscope. There are no standard abbreviations for Gram stain reactions for the spirilla. Procedure Simple stain Materials Heat-fixed bacterial smears Methylene blue, Crystal violet, or Safranin to act as simple stain Bibulous paper or paper towels Microscope 1. 2. Cover the label on the slide with tape. Place the slide on the staining rack and flood the slide with stain for 1 minute.
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Rinse the slide with tap water, tilting the slide slightly to rinse all the stain from the slide. Tap the slide gently to remove excess water. Place a piece of bibulous paper or paper towel on the lab table and put the slide on it. Fold the paper over the slide and gently blot the slide to remove the water. Examine the stained smear with the microscope and record your results in the chart below.
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Organism
Staphylococcus aureus E. coli
Gram Stain Materials Heat-fixed bacterial smears Gram stain reagents Crystal violet Grams iodine Acetone-alcohol decolorizer Safranin Bibulous paper or paper towels Microscope 1. 2.
Results
Cover the label on the slide with tape. Place the slide on the staining rack and flood with crystal violet for 1 minute. Rinse the slide with tap water, tilting the slide slightly to rinse all the stain from the slide. With the slide slightly tilted, drop a few drops of Grams iodine on the slide to rinse off the last of the rinse water. Place the slide flat and flood with Grams iodine for 1 minute. Rinse the slide with water as in step 3. With the slide tilted slowly drop acetone-alcohol decolorizer on the slide. Blue color will run from the smear. Continue to apply decolorizer drop-by-drop until the blue stops running from the smear.
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Immediately rinse with water. With the slide slightly tilted add safranin to the slide to replace the rinse water then lay the slide flat and flood the slide with safranin for 30 seconds. Rinse safranin from the slide with tap water. Gently tap the slide to remove excess water. Place a piece of bibulous paper or paper towel on the lab table and put the slide on it. Fold the paper over the slide and gently blot the slide to remove the water. Examine the stained smear with the microscope and record your results in the chart below.
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Organism
Staphylococcus aureus E. coli
Results
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What are the differences between a simple stain and a differential stain?
What is the basis for Gram stain results between different bacteria?
List the reagents used in the Gram stain and tell the function of each.
What would be the proper way to report each of the following if they had been Gram stained? Purple (blue), round cells Pink (red), rod-shaped cell Pink (red), round cells Purple (blue), rod-shaped cells
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Form refers to the overall appearance of the colony. Elevation is the height the colony achieves on the surface of the agar. The appearance of the edge of the colony is referred to as the margin.
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Irregular
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The pour plate is used for counting organisms in a solution. A standard volume of solution is mixed in the liquefied agar. Each organism in the solution is separated from all others. When the agar solidifies the cells are trapped in the agar and develop into colonies. Each colony can be counted and represents a single cell in the original solution. If a milliliter of solution is mixed in the agar then the number of colonies represents the number of organisms per milliliter of solution. Usually a portion of a milliliter is mixed in the agar so the number of colonies counted must be multiplied by the dilution factor to determine the number of organisms in a milliliter of solution. When counting colonies in agar it is difficult to accurately count more than 300 colonies on a plate. Less than 30 colonies on a plate are considered statistically insignificant. When evaluating a solution for bacteria a series of dilutions is usually made and cultured. The plate with 30-300 colonies is counted and the number multiplied by the dilution factor for that plate to determine the number of bacteria per milliliter in the original solution. This method is used to evaluate the number of organisms in milk, drinking water, and even the water at the beach. While the cells grow and are isolated from each other in a pour plate, they will not develop typical colonial morphology and are not easily accessible for further testing.
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Procedure Inoculation of a Broth Culture Materials Mixed Culture in broth Inoculating loop Bacticinerator Incubator Sterile nutrient broth Students work individually. 1. 2. 3. Label the sterile nutrient broth with the source of the culture and your initials. Sterilize the loop. Using appropriate aseptic technique, remove a loopful of broth from the mixed culture tube. Insert the loop into the sterile broth tube and swirl gently. Sterilize the loop. Incubate the broth at 37o C for 24-48 hours. Observe broth for turbidity. Record results in table at end of the procedure section.
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Inoculating an Agar Slant Materials Mixed Culture in broth Inoculating loop Bacticinerator Incubator Sterile nutrient agar slant Students work individually. 1. Label the sterile nutrient agar slant with the source of the culture and your initials. Sterilize the loop.
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Using appropriate aseptic technique, remove a loopful of broth from the mixed culture tube.
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Insert the loop into the sterile agar slant tube and starting at the base of the slant, draw the loop up the slant. Do not penetrate the agar. Sterilize the loop. Incubate the slant at 37o C for 24-48 hours. Observe the slant for growth. Record results in table at end of the procedure section.
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Streak Plate Materials Mixed Culture in broth Inoculating loop Bacticinerator Incubator Sterile nutrient agar plate Students work individually. 1. Label the sterile nutrient agar plate with the source of the culture and your initials. Sterilize the loop. Using appropriate aseptic technique, remove a loopful of broth from the mixed culture tube. Lift the agar plate from the lid and streak about half of the plate. The loop should be parallel to the agar surface to prevent digging into or gouging the agar.
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Return the plate to the lid. Sterilize the loop. Lift the agar plate and make one streak into the inoculated portion of the plate. Finish by streaking about onefourth of the uninoculated plate.
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Return the plate to the lid. Sterilize the loop. Lift the agar plate and make one streak into the second inoculated portion of the plate. Finish by streaking the remaining one-fourth of the uninoculated plate. Sterilize the loop.
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Place the plate in a 37o C incubator for 24-48 hours. Observe for growth and record your results in the table provided at the end of the procedure section.
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Pour Plate Materials Mixed Culture in broth Inoculating loop Bacticinerator Incubator Nutrient agar deep, liquefied Sterile petri dish Sterile pipette Students work in pairs. 1. Label the bottom of the sterile petri plate with the source of the culture and your initials. Turn the plate so the lid is facing up. Obtain two tubes of liquefied nutrient agar, one for each student in the pair. The nutrient agar was boiled (100o C) to melt the agar. Agar at that temperature would kill bacteria, so the agar has been cooled to 60o C and held in a water bath to maintain that temperature. This should not kill the bacteria when they are introduced to the liquid agar and will also reduce the amount of condensation that will collect on the lid of the petri dish. Work quickly. The agar will solidify at 42o C. One student of the pair should aseptically transfer two drops of the mixed culture broth to one of the agar tubes. The other student should aseptically transfer one drop of the mixed culture broth the second agar tube. Mix the tubes by rolling the tubes between your hands, then pour the inoculated liquid agar into a labeled sterile petri dish. Gently move the dish in a figure eight to completely cover the bottom of the dish with agar. Allow the agar to solidify. Add to the labeling the amount of mixed culture used in the agar. A milliliter contains approximately 20 drops. Two drops would be approximately 0.1 ml and 1 drop would be approximately 0.05 ml. Incubate the plates at 37o C for 24-48 hours. Examine the plates for growth and record the results in the table below.
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Culture Broth Slant Streak Plate Pour Plate 0.1 ml Pour Plate 0.05 ml
Growth
Isolation
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Review Questions How can you tell growth has occurred in a broth culture?
At what temperature does agar solidify? Why is liquefied agar cooled to 60o C before adding organisms?
How many colony types did you observe on your streak plate?
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How many colonies did you observe on the 0.1 ml pour plate?
How many colonies did you observe on the 0.05 ml pour plate?
If possible determine the number of organisms in the original mixed culture broth. The dilution factor for 0.1 ml is 10 and for 0.05 ml the dilution factor is 20.
What is the general formula for determining the number of organisms in a solution using a pour plate?
Serial dilutions are made of milk. The following information is collected. Dilution 1:100 1:1000 1:10000 Number of Colonies 312 262 22
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> 2 H2 O + O2
This enzyme allows organisms to breakdown harmful metabolites of aerobic respiration and may be seen in aerobic and facultatively anaerobic organisms. There are other enzymes that some organisms produce to handle toxic endproducts of metabolism so not all aerobes or facultative anaerobes produce catalase. Pathogenic organisms require mechanisms to help them overcome host defense mechanisms. One mechanism involves coating the bacterial cells in a body substance, such as fibrin, to fool the immune system. The coating of a natural body substance will
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not trigger an immune response. The enzyme coagulase causes fibrin to be deposited on bacterial cells. Some organisms can not tolerate a high osmotic pressure. Media containing higher than normal salt concentrations may inhibit the growth of these non-tolerant organisms. Mannitol salt agar contains a high salt concentration so only salt tolerant organisms will grow on it. Additionally, mannitol salt agar contains the sugar mannitol. Some organisms can utilize mannitol as a food source and will produce acid endproducts from this metabolism. Since this process is invisible an indicator is added to the media to detect changes in pH. Phenol red is the indicator used in mannitol salt agar. It is red at a neutral pH but turns yellow if conditions in the media become acidic. Antibiotic susceptibility is another test that can be used to identify organisms. A filter paper disc is impregnated with an antibiotic, in this case novobiocin. When the disc is placed on agar, the antibiotic diffuses through the agar. An organism susceptible to the antibiotic will be unable to grow on the media containing the antibiotic. A zone of inhibition (no growth) will be seen around the disc. The size of the zone indicates the resistance or susceptibility of the organism to the antibiotic. Procedure Catalase 1. 2. Place a drop of 3% H2 O2 on a glass slide. Touch a sterile loop to a culture of the organism to be tested and pick up a visible mass of cells. Mix the organism in the drop of hydrogen peroxide. Observe for immediate and vigorous bubbling. Dispose of slide in the contaminated slide container.
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Interpretation: Bubbling indicates a positive (+) test and scant or no bubbling indicates a negative (-) test. Coagulase 1. Dispense 1 drop of Test Latex onto one of the circles on the reaction card and 1 drop of Control Latex onto another circle. Touch a sterile loop to a culture of the organism to be tested and pick up a visible mass of cells. Mix the cells in the drop of Test Latex. Repeat Step 2 for the Control Latex.
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Pick up and hand rock the card for up to 20 seconds and observe for agglutination or clumping of the latex particles. Dispose of the reaction card in the biohazard container.
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Interpretation: Agglutination of the Test Latex with no agglutination of the Control Latex is considered a positive (+) test for coagulase. No agglutination in either the Text Latex or Control Latex is considered negative (-) for coagulase. All reactions occurring after 20 seconds should be ignored. If agglutination occurs in the Control Latex the agglutination is due to some factor other than the enzyme coagulase and the test results are invalid. Mannitol Salt Agar 1. 2. Label a tube of mannitol salt agar with the organism to be tested and your initials. Using a sterile loop transfer the organism to be tested to the surface of the mannitol salt agar slant. Incubate the tube at 35o C. for a minimum of 18 hours. Examine the tube for evidence of growth on the slant and for a color change from red to yellow. Remove the markings from the tube using Grams decolorizer on a paper towel and place the tube in the designated area for disposal.
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Interpretation: Two different characteristics of the organism are determined with this agar. The first is the organisms ability to tolerate a high salt environment. Evidence of growth on the slant indicates the organism can grow in a high salt environment. Organisms that can ferment the sugar mannitol produce an acid end product that changes the red pH indicator in the media to yellow. Any yellow in the media is considered a positive test for mannitol fermentation. It is possible for organisms to grow on the media and not ferment mannitol. Novobiocin Susceptibility 1. 2. 3. Divide a nutrient agar plate into three sections. Label a section with the name of the organism to be tested. Using a sterile loop transfer the test organism to the plate and streak the section for confluent growth. Aseptically transfer a novobiocin antibiotic disc to the center of each streaked area. Gently press the disc to the surface of the agar.
35
4.
5. 6. 7.
Invert the plate and place in the incubator for a minimum of 18 hours. Examine the plate for a zone of inhibition of growth around the antibiotic disc. Using a metric ruler, measure the diameter of the zone of i nhibition and record the measurement in millimeters (mm). Discard the plate in the biohazard container.
8.
Interpretation: A zone of growth inhibition 17 mm or less in diameter indicates resistance (R) to novobiocin. If the zone is greater than 17 mm the organism is susceptible (S) to novobiocin.
LABORATORY INSTRUCTIONS
Cultures provided: Staphylococcus aureus Staphylococcus epidermidis Staphylococcus saprophyticus Students work individually unless otherwise noted. 1. Make a smear of one of the organisms provided. (See page 18) Complete the remainder of the laboratory work before heat fixing, staining and examining the smear. Perform a catalase test on all organisms. Select one of the three organisms and perform a coagulase test. Allow the other members of your group to observe your results. Observe the results of the other 2 organisms. Select one of the three organisms and inoculate a mannitol salt agar slant. As in step 3, observe the results of all three organisms Test each organism for novobiocin susceptibility. Each person should test all three organisms. Record all results on the Laboratory Record Sheet. (Page 37) As time permits, Gram stain the smear prepared in Step 1 (Page 22).
2. 3.
4.
5.
6. 7.
36
MCB 1000L Identification of Staphylococcus Test Gram Stain Catalase Coagulase Growth on mannitol salt Mannitol fermentation Novobiocin susceptibility All species of Staphylococcus are Gram ___________________ ____________________ and positive for the ___________________________ test. Also, all Staphylococcus species tolerate ___________________________ as indicated by their growth on mannitol salt agar. Which test differentiates Staph. aureus from the other species of Staphylococcus? Staph. aureus Staph. epidermidis Staph. saprophyticus
37
alpha
never never
beta
always usually sometimes never sometimes
gamma
never sometimes usually never usually
Streptococcus agalactiae
sometimes
Streptococcus bovis
always
Streptococcus pneumoniae
sometimes
Enterococcus faecalis
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Procedures Bacitracin Susceptibility 1. Divide a sheep blood agar plate into four quadrants. 2. 3. Label a quadrant with the name of the organism to be tested. Using a sterile loop aseptically transfer the test organism to the plate and streak the quadrant for confluent growth. Aseptically transfer a bacitracin disc (A disc) to the center of the quadrant. Forceps may be used to position the disc. Gently press the disc to the surface of the agar but do not embed the disc in the agar. Invert the plate and place in the incubator for a minimum of 18 hours. Examine the plate for a zone of inhibition of growth around the disc. When finished discard the plate in the biohazard container.
4.
5. 6.
Interpretation: Any zone of inhibition of growth is considered positive (+) for this test. If a red ring can be seen around the disc this is considered a positive test. This test should be done only on organisms that display beta hemolysis . Optochin Susceptibility 1. 2. 3. Divide a sheep blood agar plate into four quadrants. Label a quadrant with the name of the organism to be tested. Using a sterile loop aseptically transfer the test organism to the plate and streak the quadrant for confluent growth. Aseptically transfer an optochin disc (P disc) to the center of the quadrant. Forceps may be used to position the disc. Gently press the disc to the surface of the agar but do not embed the disc in the agar. Invert the plate and place in the incubator for a minimum of 18 hours. Examine the plate for a zone of inhibition of growth around the disc. Using a metric ruler, measure the diameter of the zone of inhibition and record the measurement in millimeters (mm). When finished discard the plate in the biohazard container.
4.
5. 6.
Interpretation: A growth inhibition zone of 15-30 mm is considered a positive (+) test. Zone sizes of less than 15 mm are considered negative (-) for this test. This test should be done only on organisms that display alpha hemolysis.
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CAMP Test 1. Obtain a sheep blood agar plate that has been prepared for a CAMP test by having Staphylococcus aureus streaked in a single line down the center of the plate. Lines have been drawn on the plate perpendicular to the Staph. streak. These will act as guidelines for inoculating the plate. Label one of the lines on the CAMP plate with the organism to be tested. Using a sterile loop obtain a sample of the test organism. Using a single streak and moving from the outer edge of the CAMP plate toward the Staph. steak, inoculate the CAMP plate with the test organism. Do not allow the test organism to directly touch the Staph. streak or streak across the Staph. streak. The test organism should be streaked using one of the perpendicular lines as a guide. Invert the plate and place it in the incubator for a minimum of 18 hours. Observe the plate for the development of a distinct arrowhead pattern of hemolysis where the test organism and the Staph. almost touch. Discard the plate in the biohazard container.
2.
3.
4. 5.
6.
Interpretation: The arrowhead hemolysis pattern is considered positive (+) for this test. No hemolysis or indistinct hemolysis patterns are considered negative (-) for this test. This test should be done only on organisms that display beta or gamma hemolysis . Bile Esculin 1. 2. Label a bile esculin slant with the organism to be tested and your initials. Using a sterile loop transfer the organism to be tested to the surface of the bile esculin slant. Incubate the tube for a minimum of 18 hours. Examine the tube for a definite blackening of the agar. Remove the markings from the tube using Grams decolorizer on a paper towel and place the tube in the designated area for disposal.
3. 4. 5.
Interpretation: Blackening of the agar is considered positive (+) for this test. No change in the color of the agar is considered negative (-) for this test. This test should be done on all suspected streptococci.
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High Salt 1. 2. 3. 4. Label a high salt broth tube with the organism to be tested and your initials. Using a sterile loop transfer the organism to be tested to the broth. Incubate the tube for a minimum of 18 hours. Examine the tube for evidence of growth (turbidity). It may be helpful to compare the tube to an uninoculated tube. Do not agitate the tubes before you examine them. Remove the markings from the tube using Grams decolorizer on a paper towel and place the tube in the designated area for disposal.
5.
Interpretation: Organisms that can tolerate a high salt environment (6.5% NaCl) will grow in this broth causing the broth to become cloudy or turbid. Turbidity is considered positive (+) for this test. Organisms that can not tolerate the high salt environment will not grow and the broth will remain clear. Clear broth is considered negative (-) for this test. This test should be done on all suspected streptococci.
LABORATORY INSTRUCTIONS Cultures provided: Streptococcus pyogenes Streptococcus agalactiae Streptococcus pneumoniae Enterococcus (Streptococcus) faecalis Streptococcus bovis Students work individually unless otherwise noted. 1. Make a smear of one of the organisms provided (See page 18). Complete the remainder of the laboratory work before heat fixing, staining and examining the smear. Perform a catalase test (Page 34) on all organisms and record your results on the Laboratory Worksheet (Page 44). Examine all cultures for hemolysis and record your observations on the Laboratory Worksheet (Page 44). Refer to your Laboratory Worksheet (Page 44) and on all beta hemolytic organisms set up a Bacitracin Susceptibility test.
2.
3.
4.
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5.
Refer to your Laboratory Worksheet (Page 44) and on all alpha hemolytic organisms set up an Optochin Susceptibility test. Refer to your Laboratory Worksheet (Page 44) and on all beta and gamma hemolytic organisms set up a CAMP Test. Work in lab groups to get all required organisms tested, but be sure each member of the group sets up one test. Organisms may be used more than once in your group if necessary. Working in groups, set up a bile esculin slant on all organisms. Each member of the group must set up at least one test. Working in groups, set up a high salt broth on all organisms. Each member of the group must set up at least one test. After appropriate incubation, examine all tests and record results on the Laboratory Worksheet (Page 44). As time permits, Gram stain the smear prepared in Step 1 (Page 22).
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
43
MCB 1000L Identification of Streptococcus Test* Gram Stain Catalase Hemolysis Bacitracin Optochin CAMP Test Bile Esculin High Salt *If a test is not done on an organism because it is an inappropriate test for that organism, mark the results box with a large X. What characteristic do Staphylococcus and Streptococcus share? Strep. pyogenes Strep. agalactiae Strep. pneumoniae Enterococcus faecalis Strep. bovis
An organism is GPC, catalase negative, and alpha hemolytic. List all appropriate tests for identification of this organism.
An organism is GPC, catalase negative, and beta hemolytic. List all appropriate tests for identification of this organism.
An organism is GPC, catalase negative, and gamma hemolytic. List all appropriate tests for identification of this organism.
Once you know an organism is GPC, what test should you do next?
44
Throat Culture
Introduction The human mouth has numerous and varied organisms as part of its normal flora. Both aerobes and anaerobes flourish is this warm, moist environment. Virtually every type of microorganism can be found in the mouth. The most prevalent are the viridans streptococci. These alpha hemolytic organisms account for most of the organisms that grow aerobically in a throat culture. In addition to these Gram positive cocci, numerous species of Staphylococcus may also be found. Neisseria, Branhamella and the anaerobic Veillonella comprise the majority of the Gram negative cocci found in the mouth. Various Gram negative bacilli, such as Haemophilus species and Klebsiella pneumoniae, are also present. The nonpathogenic Corynebacterium, or diphtheroids, are also alpha hemolytic. Diphtheroids are pleomorphic Gram positive bacilli. Spirochetes, a few yeasts and occasional protozoa round out the normal mouth flora. These organisms are commensals that probably protect us from other organisms that may enter our mouths. The presence of our normal flora prevents other organisms from finding space or nutrients to support their growth. While our normal flora potentially protects us from certain diseases, they do contribute to one. The organisms of the mouth contribute to the development of dental caries. Certain organisms adhere to the teeth forming a network for others to adhere. These organisms produce the plaque found on your teeth. Some of the organisms involved in plaque metabolize sugars found in the mouth to acids that etch the tooth enamel and weaken it. If the tooth enamel is damaged, organisms can penetrate to the pulp of the tooth damaging it. Regular removal of these organisms and plaque helps prevent tooth decay. Principal The one organism responsible for disease in the throat is Streptococcus pyogenes or Group A Strep. This organism is beta hemolytic and not part of the normal throat flora. Sheep blood agar provides the enrichment necessary for growing many of the Streptococcus species and also acts as a differential media. The hemolysis produced on sheep blood agar he lps separate the normal alpha hemolytic organisms from the pathogenic, beta-hemolytic Streptococcus pyogenes. Organisms that grow in the throat also need special atmospheric conditions to grow. These organisms are exposed to the higher carbon dioxide content in exhaled breath. To successfully grow these organisms this carbon dioxide rich atmosphere must be reproduced. Organisms that require less oxygen are known as micoraerophiles. In the laboratory this atmosphere may be produced by placing the plates in a large jar, lighting a candle in the jar and
45
replacing the lid. As the candle burns, some of the oxygen in the jar is converted to carbon dioxide. Typically pharyngitis would cause redness and possibly pockets of pus on the back of the throat. When culturing a throat these areas indicating inflammation should be swabbed to provide the specimen. Usually a swab in a protective plastic sleeve (Culturette) is used to take a throat culture. Once the specimen has been taken the swab is returned to its protective sleeve and an ampule of transport media is broken in the bottom of the sleeve. Transport media is a special purpose media that contains balanced salts to protect the specimen from pH changes and keeps the swab moist while in transit to the laboratory for culturing. Nutrients are not provided so growth does not occur but the organisms can survive for several hours in the transport media, particularly if refrigerated. Procedure 1. 2. 3. Obtain a sheep blood agar plate, sterile swab and tongue depressor. Label the agar plate with your patients name. Using the tongue depressor, flatten the patients tongue. Having the patient say Ahhhh helps flatten the tongue. Being careful not to touch any other parts of the mouth, use the sterile swab to firmly swab the back of the patients throat. Use care. Some people have a very strong gag response and this may induce vomiting. Gently roll the swab across the surface of the blood agar plate. Using a sterile loop, streak the plate for isolation. First streak through the area where you rolled the swab and cover approximately half of the plate. Sterilize the loop and streak one quarter of the plate streaking into the original streaking only once. Repeat the procedure for the remaining quarter of the plate streaking into the second streaking only once. Discard the swab and tongue depressor in the biohazard container. Place the plate in a candle jar. The jar will be incubated at 35-37o C for a minimum of 18 hours. Following incubation, examine the plate for the presence of beta hemolytic colonies. A predominance of beta hemolytic colonies would indicate a possible throat infection with Streptococcus pyogenes. When finished examining the plate, discard in the biohazard container.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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Review Questions 1. List 3 organisms that are considered normal throat flora.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Define microaerophile.
7.
8.
9.
Colonial Morphology
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The oxidase test checks for the presence of the enzyme indophenol oxidase. Tetramethyl-para-phenylenediamine (oxidase reagent) will be oxidized in the presence of atmospheric oxygen by indophenol oxidase causing the formation of a dark-purple compound known as indophenol. Procedure Organisms used Pseudomonas aeruginosa E. coli Proteus vulgaris 1. 2. 3. Students work in groups to complete this lab. Obtain a sterile swab. Touch the swab to the organism being tested. Place one drop of oxidase reagent on the organism on the swab. Using more than one drop of reagent may dilute the color reaction and result in a false negative. Observe the swab for 10-30 seconds for the development of a dark-purple color around the edge of the organism. This is interpreted as a positive test. No color change or a color change after 30 seconds is interpreted as a negative test. Share your results with the other members of your group. Record all results in the chart below. Dispose of the swabs in the biohazard container. The reagent droppers may be discarded is the regular trash can.
4.
5. 6. 7.
Results Oxidase
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
E. coli
Proteus vulgaris
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Review Questions 1. Based on your results, which organism(s) could be classified as a nonfermenter?
2.
E. coli and Proteus vulgaris are members of the family Enterobacte riaceae so their reactions are representative of the entire family (all members of the family behave the same way). Klebsiella pneumonia is also a member of the family Enterobacteriaceae. What would its oxidase test result be? Is it a fermenter or a non-fermenter?
49
Ammonia will increase the pH of the media to 8.0 or higher. The media contains phenol red as a pH indicator. At a pH 8.0 or higher the indicator is a bright pink color. If urea is split to ammonia and carbon dioxide the pH change will cause the media to turn bright pink and the test will be considered positive for urease. Procedure Organisms used Pseudomonas aeruginosa E. coli Proteus vulgaris 1. 2. Work in groups to complete this lab. Urea media may be either a broth or a slant. Obtain urea media and inoculate tubes with the three organisms listed above. Use appropriate aseptic technique when inoculating the tubes. Incubate the tubes for a minimum of 18 hours at 35-37o C. Examine the tubes for a color change. Tubes that are bright pink are considered positive for the test. Any other color change is considered negative. Remove labels from the tubes and discard in the designated area. Record all results in the table below.
3. 4.
5.
Result Urea
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
E. coli
Proteus vulgaris
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Review questions 1. What enzyme is produced by organisms that can split urea?
2.
3.
Why does the media turn pink when the test is positive?
51
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Hydrogen Sulfide (H 2S) Production Anaerobic respiration does not require oxygen since an inorganic salt acts as the final electron acceptor instead of oxygen. Sulfur is one of the anaerobic electron acceptors used by some facultative and obligate anaerobes. Sulfur is readily available in the environment and in media in both organic (amino acids) and inorganic (sulfates) molecules. Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, volatile liquid. In order to detect its presence in the media, ferrous sulfate is used as an indicator. H2S + ferrous sulfate ferrous sulfide (Black precipitate) H2S production is an anaerobic process so the black precipitate will appear only in the butt of the TSI tube. Reporting Results and Interpretation Black buttH2S + No black in buttH2S Report slant/butt Report A/A A/AG K/A K/AG H2S + H2S -K/K K/H2S Interpretation Glucose and sucrose and/or lactose fermented Glucose fermented with gas production, sucrose and/or lactose fermented Glucose only fermented Glucose only fermented with gas produced Hydrogen sulfide produced Hydrogen sulfide negative No sugars fermented Lactose and sucrose not fermented H2/S production (black butt) is all that can be seen Lactose and/or sucrose fermented H2/S production (black butt) is all that can be seen Yellow agaracidA Red agaralkalineK Gas producedG
A/ H2S
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Procedure Organisms used Pseudomonas aeruginosa E. coli Proteus vulgaris 1. 2. 3. Students work in groups to complete this exercise Label a TSI slant with one of the organisms to be tested. All tests in this media rely on anaerobic conditions. To provide this the organism must be introduced into the media, not on the surface. Using a sterile inoculating needle , touch the organism to be tested and stab the TSI media penetrating to the bottom of the tube. When removing the needle, streak the slant. Incubate all tubes for at least 18 hours at 35-37o C. After incubation examine the tubes for color changes. Record all results in the table below. When finished examining the tubes, remove all labels and markings and place in the designated contaminated area.
4. 5.
6.
Fermentation
H2S Production
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55
56
Procedure Organisms used E. coli Klebsiella pneumoniae Enterobacter cloacae 1. 2. Students work in groups to complete this exercise. Obtain a tube of motility media. Using a sterile inoculating needle inoculate the motility media by stabbing halfway into the agar. Incubate for a minimum of 18 hours at 35o C. After incubation, examine the initial stab line. If the line is sharp the organisms did not move and there is no motility. If the line is fuzzy, shows a cloud of growth around it, or is indistinct in any way the organism was able to move away from the initial stab line and is motile. Record all results in the table below. Remove all marks from the tube and discard in the designated area. OPTIONAL: If available, observe the demonstration of the hanging drop technique.
3. 4.
5.
6.
Organism Results
Review Questions
E. coli
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Enterobacter cloacae
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Procedure Organisms used E. coli Klebsiella pneumoniae Enterobacter cloacae 1. 2. Students work in groups to complete this exercise. Obtain a DrySlide indole test card. Using a sterile loop transfer cells from an agar plate or slant to the test area on the card. Observe for the development of a pink color within 30 seconds. Record your results in the table provided (Page 60) and discard the test card in the biohazard container. Obtain an MRVP broth and using aseptic technique inoculate the tube. It is important to inoculate this test heavily. Incubate for at least 24 hours at 35o C. Obtain a citrate slant. Aseptically inoculate the slant and incubate for at least 24 hours at 35o C. After incubation of the MRVP broth obtain a spot plate and a sterile dropper. Observe the MRVP for turbidity. If turbidity is not noted the test results are not reliable. The tube may be re-incubated until growth is evident. Place 3 drops of turbid broth into two of the wells on the spot plate. Methyl Red TestTo one well add 1-2 drops of methyl red reagent. Observe for an immediate cherry red color that indicates a positive test. Orange or yellow is considered negative. Record your results in the table provided (Page 60). Voges-Proskauer TestTo the remaining well add 2 drops of alphanaphthol and 1 drop of potassium hydroxide (KOH). Observe for the development of a mahogany red color. The color development takes 20 minutes or longer. Be extremely careful with the KOH. It is caustic and may cause burns if it gets on your skin. The mahogany red color is considered positive. Record your results in the table provided (Page 60). Remove all marks from the MRVP tube and discard in the designated area. Clean the spot plate by covering the surface with disinfectant. Allow the disinfectant to sit for a few minutes, then rinse with water, wash and dry. Return the spot plates to their original location. Observe the citrate for a change from green to blue. Blue is considered positive for this test. Record your results in the table provided (Page 60). Remove all marks from the tube and discard in the designated area.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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Indole
Methyl Red
VogesProskauer
Citrate
Substrate
Reagent
Indicator
Positive Result
Is it possible for an organism to be Methyl red and Voges-Proskauer positive? Explain your answer.
What might happen if the MRVP tests are read too soon?
60
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The standardized methods for antiseptic and disinfectant testing are more rigorous and more difficult to reproduce in a student laboratory. Two common tests are the Phenol Coefficient Test (a comparison of the effect of the chemical and phenol on several organisms) and the Use Dilution Test (testing the chemical under actual conditions of use). A disc diffusion test can be used to approximate the Use Dilution Test. The chemical under consideration is used to saturate a filter paper disc. This disc is then used to introduce the chemical to the agar for testing. The actual zo ne sizes have not been standardized as in the Kirby-Bauer method, but a comparison of zone sizes for the same chemical among organisms will provide an approximate effectiveness of the chemical. Procedure Kirby-Bauer Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test Organisms to be tested: Staphylococcus aureus E. coli Procedure 1. Students will work independently in the laboratory exercise. 2. Obtain a plate culture of one of the organisms to be tested. 3. Using a sterile loop, emulsify a colony from the plate in the sterile saline solution. Mix thoroughly making sure that no solid material from the colony is visible. 4. Repeat this procedure until the turbidity of the saline solution matches that of the standard available for your class. 5. Dip the swab into the broth culture of the organism. Gently squeeze the swab against the inside of the tube to remove excess fluid. Use the swab to streak a Mueller-Hinton agar plate or a nutrient agar plate for a lawn of growth. This is best accomplished by streaking the plate in one direction, then streaking at right angles to the first streaking, and finally streaking diagonally. End by using the swab to streak the outside diameter of the agar. 6. Allow the plates to dry for about 5 minutes.
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7. Antibiotic disks can be placed on the surface of the agar using a dispenser that dispenses multiple disks at the correct distance apart, or by obtaining individual disks and placing them on the surface of the agar using flame sterilized forceps. a. Dispenser method: 1. Obtain the dispenser containing the correct antibiotic disks for the organism you are using. 2. Place the dispenser over the surface of the plate and using the lever/plunger dispense the disks. 3. Using sterile forceps or a loop, gently press the disks onto the surface of the agar, taking care not to press them into the agar. b. Dispensing individual disks: 1. Obtain 6 of the appropriate individual disk dispensers. 2. Using the levers, dispense the disks at equal distances apart on the surface of the agar. 3. Using flame sterilize forceps or a sterile loop gently press the disks onto the surface of the agar. 4. 6 disks may also be individually placed onto the surface of the agar using sterile forceps. 8. Invert the plates and incubate for 24 hours at 37 C. 9. Using a metric ruler measure the diameter of the zone of inhibition (if present) for each antibiotic used. 10. Compare the measurement obtained from the individual antibiotics to the table of standards to determine if the bacterial species tested is resistant or sensitive to the antibiotic. 11. Use the data you collected and that of the rest of the class to fill in the table below. Discard the plates in the biohazard container.
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Antibiotic Tetracycline Ciprofloxacin Enoxacin Erythromycin Penicillin Staphylococci Oxacillin Staphylococci Tobramycin Ceftriaxone Kanamycin Clindamycin Piperacillin Gram negatives Ampicillin Gram negative enterics Staphylococci
Zone Diameter (mm) Interpretation Chart Resistant Intermediate = 14 15-18 = 15 16-20 = 14 15-17 = 13 14-22 = 28 = 10 = 12 = 13 = 13 = 14 = 17 = 13 = 28 11-12 13-14 14-20 14-17 15-20 18-20 14-16
Susceptible = 19 = 21 = 18 = 23 = 29 = 13 = 15 = 21 = 18 = 21 = 21 = 17 = 29
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Antiseptic/Disinfectant Susceptibility Test Organisms used Staphylococcus aureus E. coli Bacillus cereus Pseudomonas aeruginosa 1. 2. Students work individually on this laboratory exercise. Obtain one of the organisms to be tested, 5 nutrient agar plates, and a sterile swab. Dip the swab into the broth culture of the organism. Gently squeeze the swab against the inside of the tube to remove excess fluid. Use the swab to streak a nutrient agar plate for a lawn of growth. This is best accomplished by streaking the plate in one direction, then streaking at right angles to the first streaking, and finally streaking diagonally. End by using the swab to streak the outside diameter of the agar. Repeat this procedure for the remaining plates. Place a disc soaked in an antiseptic or disinfectant in the center of each plate. Be sure to label the plates with the organism and chemical used. Incubate the plates in the standard upside down position until the next lab period. Measure the diameter of the zone of inhibition for each chemical. The class will share data so you can fill in the table provided. Discard the plates in the biohazard container.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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Review Questions What conditions must be held constant when doing disc diffusion procedures?
Define Antiseptic
Disinfectant
Antibiotic
Zone of inhibition
According to your results, which chemical is the most effective? On what do you base this conclusion?
What are the standard tests used for determining the e ffectiveness of antiseptics and disinfectants?
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+ fd m/d/y ?
The steps for identifying an unknown are Gram stain Colonial morphology Biochemical testing Only the biochemical tests necessary for identification of the organism are appropriate. Unnecessary tests will result in a deduction of points from the final grade. Tests are to be ordered from the lab instructor using the appropriate form. This form must also be filled out completely. A separate order form is used for each unknown. More than one order form may be used for one unknown. If a test is ordered the results must appear on the report form or a brief explanation as to why the test was not done should be made. Failure to do so will result in a loss of points from the final grade. Gram staining and initial spot testing will give the student a general idea concerning the identity of the unknown. Only tests useful for identifying the suspected organism should be performed. A sufficient number of tests should be performed so that the organism may be identified at the next laboratory session.
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Test results must be reported appropriately. Failure to do so may result in a loss of points from the final grade. Most results can be reported with a + or -. That is sufficient. A detailed description of the results is inappropriate. The identity of the unknown should be written appropriately. The genus name should be capitalized but not the species name. If you are in the habit of printing in all upper case letters, be sure to differentiate the first letter of the genus name as larger than the others. Failure to do so will lead to a loss of points on the final grade. Below is an example of the test request form. The top should be completely filled out and the appropriate tests checked. This will be retained by the Laboratory Instructor and attached to your completed Unknown Report Form. It is considered in grading your unknown.
MCB 1000L Media/Test Request Form Name___________________________________Date___________________Unknown Number________ Requested Media/Test Materials Coagulase_______________ Mannitol Salt____________ Novobiocin_______________ Optochin________________ Bacitracin_______________ CAMP__________________ High Salt________________ Bile Esculin______________ TSI_________________ Urea________________ Indole_______________ MRVP______________ Citrate______________ Motility_____________
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Unknown Number______________ Gram Stain Results______________ Colony Morphology (include media used) Date________________ Date________________
Test Performed
Results
Date
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References
Howard, Barbara J. (ed.) 1987. Clinical and pathogenic microbiology, 2nd ed. Mosby, Baltimore. Finegold, Sidney M., William J. Martin, and Elvyn G. Scott. 1978. Diagnostic microbiology, 5 th ed. Mosby, Baltimore. BBL TM DrySlideTM Indole. 1998. Technical Insert, Becton Dickinson Microbiology Systems, Sparks, Maryland. BBL Oxidase. 1995. Technical Insert, Becton Dickinson Microbiology Systems, Sparks, Maryland.
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