Types of Culture Media

1. Simple Media
- for non-fastidious microorganisms (does not require special nutrition)
- e.g. nutrient agar (Japanese Isinglass), nutrient broth
2. Enriched Media
- for fastidious microorganisms (require special nutrition vitamins and minerals)
blood agar plate
- enriched and differential
- for microorganisms that require high nucleic acid nutrition
milk agar
- for microorganisms that require high protein nutrition
chocolate agar
- for microorganisms that require high haemoglobin nutrient
3. Differential Media
- subdivides a large group of microorganisms into classification by visual/ color reaction
MaConkey and eosin methylene blue
- for lactose/ non-lactose formers
o rapid lactose formers:
E. coli most common
MCA: pink colony; EMB: green metallic sheen colony
Klebsiella non-motile
Enterobacter
o slow lactose formers:
Serratia
S. marcescens most common nosocomial infection
Citrobacter
Arizona
Providencia
Erwinia
Edwardsiella
Hafnia
o non-lactose formers:
Shigella non-motile
Proteus
Salmonella motile
blood agar plate
- differentiate streptococcus species
o -hemolytic streptococci
- partial hemolysis
- VR: green
o -hemolytic streptococci
- complete hemolysis
- VR: yellow
o -hemolytic streptococci
- no hemolysis
- VR: clear

group A streptococci
S. pyogenes
causes sore throat and pharyngitis

group B streptococci
S. galactae
o viridans
S. viridans
subacute bacterial endocarditis
o unclassified
S. pnuemoniae
mannitol salt agar
- differentiates staphylococcus species
o S. aureus
- most abundant in external ear
- VR: golden yellow
- coagulase (+)
o S. epidermidis
- most abundant normal flora
- most common contaminant of medical devices and laboratory
samples
- VR: porcelain white
- coagulase (-)
o S. saprophyticus
- causative agent of UTI in sexually active women
- VR: no reaction
4. Selective Media
- allows growth of certain groups of microorganisms and inhibits the other
MCA + EMB
- both differential and selective
colistin nalidixic acid
- allow growth of gram (+) only
modifief chocolate agar (Thayer-Martin agar)
- selective for N. gonorrhoea
Saboraud dextrose agar
- selective for fungal species (acidophile, fermentors of carbohydrates)
- ph: 5.6 suitable for fungal growth
Loeffter serum media
- selective for Corynebacterium diphtheria
Tellurite media
- more selective for C. diphtheriae used as ID test
causes necrosis of mucous membrane (gray patches in the
larynx)
Campy BAP and Skirrows agar
- selective for Campylobacter jejuni
Lowerstein Jenssem
- selective and highly sensitive for M. tuberculosis
- Dx of choice for PTB
Bordet-Gengou
- selective for Bordetella pertussis
CM: whooping cough

5. Anaerobic Media
- for microorganisms that does not require O2
thioglycolate media
candle jar method
gaspak
- used for microbiological researches