OXOID BLOOD AGAR BASE 500 GR - CM0055B

BLOOD AGAR BASE
Code: CM0055
A non-selective general purpose medium which may be enriched with blood or serum.
Description
Oxoid Blood Agar Base is a non-selective general purpose medium widely employed for the growth of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria:
(i) Without additions, the medium may be employed as a nutrient agar (a richer medium than Nutrient Agar CM0003), or as a medium for the short-term maintenance of stock cultures.
(ii) With added serum or other enrichments, the medium becomes suitable for the cultivation of many fastidious organisms. Serum and other thermolabile enrichments should be added to the sterilised medium cooled to 45-50°C.
(iii) With added blood, the medium is not only enriched, but becomes suitable for the determination of the typical haemolytic reactions which are important diagnostic criteria for streptococci, staphylococci, and other organisms. For blood agar, 7% of sterile blood should be added to the sterilised medium cooled to 45-50°C.
Blood Agar Base was used during investigations on irradiated Escherichia coli and other bacteria1,2. It was the most suitable medium for investigating the phages of Clostridium perfringens 3 and as the basis of a selective medium for Clostridium perfringens 4. It was used with added phenolphthalein phosphate for the detection of phosphatase-producing staphylococci5 and with added salt and agar for the assessment of surface contamination on equipment and pig carcasses6. It was used for determining the salinity range of growth of marine flavobacteria7.