Tryptic soy agar (TSA)is a common laboratory medium that promotes the growth of a wide range of non-

fastidious microorganisms without giving any particular organism. It is primarily used as an initial growth
medium for observing colony morphology, developing a pure culture, and achieving sufficient growth for
further biochemical testing and storage. Bacterial cultures are stored and shipped using TSA slants .Tryptic
soy agar is a combination of casein and soy peptones enriches the medium by providing organic nitrogen,
specifically amino acids and longer-chained peptides chemical testing and storage. Bacterial cultures are
stored and shipped using TSA slants.

Reference: Tankeshwar. A. (2022). Tryptic Soy Agar (TSM): composition, preparation and uses. Microbe
online. https://microbeonline.com/tryptic-soy-agar-tsa-composition-preparation-uses/

Chocolate Agar (CAP or CHOC) is a nonselective, enriched medium used for pathogen isolation and
identification. Chocolate agar is made by heating blood agar, which ruptures the red blood cell (RBC) and
releases nutrients that help fastidious bacteria grow, most notably Haemophilus and Neisseria species. The
name comes from the fact that RBC lysis turns the medium a chocolate-brown color. It is used to isolate
Neisseria gonorrhoeae from chronic and acute gonococcal infections. With the addition of supplements,
Chocolate Agar Base provides excellent growth of fastidious organisms without contaminating organism
overgrowth.

Reference: Tankeshwar. A. (2022). Tryptic Soy Agar (TSM): composition, preparation and uses. Microbe
online. https://microbeonline.com/tryptic-soy-agar-tsa-composition-preparation-uses/
Aryal. S. (2022). Chocolate Agar: composition, principle, preparation, results, uses. Microbe Notes.
https://microbenotes.com/chocolate-agar/

Thayer-Martin Agar- It is used to isolate pathogenic Neisseria from specimens containing a mixed bacterial
and fungal flora. It is employed in the isolation and cultivation of Neisseria species. Thayer-Martin agar is a
selective medium used to isolate gonococci (Neisseria gonorrheae) from urogenital specimens containing a
mixed flora of bacteria and/or fungi. MTM agar is a GC agar base that contains vancomycin, colistin,
nystatin, and trimethoprim lactate (VCNT). Most other gram-negative diplococci, gram-negative bacilli,
gram-positive organisms, and yeast are suppressed in order to isolate Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Tankeshwar. A. (2022). Modified Thayer- Martin Agar: Preparation and Uses. Microbe
online.https://microbeonline.com/thayer-martin-agar-composition-preparation-uses-colony-characteristics/

MacConkey (lactose) agar is used to isolate gram-negative enteric bacteria and to distinguish lactose
fermenting gram-negative bacteria from lactose non-fermenting gram-negative bacteria. Pancreatic digest of
gelatin and peptones (meat and casein) supplies essential nutrients, vitamins, and nitrogenous factors for
microorganism growth. Lactose monohydrate is the fermentable carbohydrate source. This medium's
selective action is attributed to crystal violet and bile salts, which are inhibitory to the majority of gram-
positive bacteria. The medium's osmotic balance is maintained by sodium chloride. Neutral red is a pH
indicator that turns red when the pH falls below 6.8 and remains colorless when the pH rises above 6.8. The
solidifying agent is agar. It's used to isolate coliforms and intestinal pathogens from water, dairy products,
and biological samples.

Aryal. S. (2022). MacConkey Agar- composition, principles, uses, preparation and colony morphology.
Microbiology Info. https://microbiologyinfo.com/macconkey-agar-composition-principle-uses-preparation-
and-colony-morphology/
Eosin- methylene Blue Agar (EMB) is a differential microbiological medium that slightly inhibits the
growth of Gram-positive bacteria while providing a color indicator that distinguishes between organisms
that ferment lactose (e. coli) and those that do not (e.g., Salmonella, Shigella). Holt-Harris and Teague
invented EMB agar, which was later improved by Levine. It is thus a hybrid of the Levine and Holt-Harris
and Teague formulas, with a peptic digest of animal tissue and phosphate recommended by Levine and two
carbohydrates recommended by Holt-Harris and Teague. In medical laboratories, the medium is critical for
quickly distinguishing gram-negative pathogenic microbes. In addition, the majority of the strains of E. coli
colonies have a distinctive green sheen. Rapid lactose fermentation and acid production result in a rapid
decrease in the pH of the EMB agar, which is a critical factor in the formation of the green metallic sheen
observed with E. coli, rapid lactose fermentation, and the formation of strong acids.
Aryal. S. (2022). EMB agar: composition, principle, preparation, results and uses. Microbe
notes.https://microbenotes.com/eosin-methylene-blue-emb-agar/
Hektoen Agar- A selective and differentiating medium called Hektoen Enteric Agar was created to isolate
and distinguish Salmonella and Shigella from other Enterobacteriaceae species. William I. Metzger and
Sylvia King first used the medium in 1968. While employed at the Hektoen Institute in Chicago, they
developed HE Agar medium to improve the recovery of Shigella and Salmonella from clinical specimens. It
is based on the use of bile salts for selective inhibition and two indicator systems: (1) bromothymol blue and
acid fuchsin as indicators of carbohydrate dissimilation and (2) ferric iron as an indicator of the formation of
hydrogen sulfide from thiosulfate. Shigella spp. can grow well on HE agar because the inhibition of these
organisms by bile salts is reduced by the addition of relatively large amounts of peptone and carbohydrates.
Also, HE agar is composed of proteose peptone, yeast extract, sodium chloride, lactose, sucrose, salicin,
bromothymol blue, acid fuchsin, sodium thiosulfate, iron (III) ammonium citrate, bile salts, agar, and
distilled or deionized water.

Wanger. A. (2022).Hektoen Enteric Agar: Principle, Preparation and Interpretation. Microbiological

Technique.https://microbiologie-clinique.com/hektoen-enteric-agar.html

Mannitol Salt Agar- Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA) is used to isolate and identify Staphylococcus aureus from
clinical and non-clinical specimens as a selective and differential medium. It promotes the growth of some
bacteria while inhibiting the growth of others. It is a selective medium prepared according to Chapman's
recommendations for the isolation of potentially pathogenic staphylococci.