Culture Media by Morphological Classification

Morphological Class

Protozoa

Culture Media

1 Sauton’s Medium A liquid medium that lacks detergents, which helps in the formation of corded colonies. When M. tuberculosis grows in this medium, it results in turbidity.
2 BACTEC This is not a traditional medium but a system for detecting the growth of M. tuberculosis by monitoring the release of C14O2 from C14 palmitic acid, which the bacteria metabolize. An increase in radioactive counts in the BACTEC instrument indicates the growth of bacteria.
3 Sula’s Medium A liquid medium containing glycerol, asparagine, and a variety of salts. The growth of M. tuberculosis results in turbidity.
4 Dubos’ Medium A liquid medium that contains a mixture of salts, fatty acids, and polysorbate. When M. tuberculosis grows in this medium, it causes the medium to become turbid.
5 Pawlowsky Medium A potato-based medium. Growth of M. tuberculosis may be similar to that seen on the LJ Medium.
6 Dorset Medium An egg-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies appear similar to those on Petragnini Medium: small, round, buff-colored, and taking 3-4 weeks to develop.
7 Middlebrook 7H10 Agar A selective medium that contains oleic acid, albumin, dextrose, and catalase. The colonies of M. tuberculosis appear small, rough, and buff to white-colored, taking less time to appear compared to egg-based media.
8 Petragnini Medium An egg-based medium enriched with additional nutrients to promote the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Colonies of M. tuberculosis are small, round, buff-colored, and typically take 3-4 weeks to appear.
9 Triple Sugar Iron (TSI) Agar E. coli typically produces an acid butt, acid slant, and gas, with no H2S production, indicating it ferments lactose, sucrose, and glucose.
10 m-ENDO Agar E. coli colonies appear as green with a metallic sheen, indicating lactose fermentation.
11 Nutrient Agar (NA) A non-selective medium. E. coli colonies are usually large, circular, grayish-white, moist, and smooth.
12 Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) consists of a nutrient-rich substrate, made from dehydrated Potato Infusion and Dextrose, ideal for robust mycological propagation. Agar provides the solidifying medium. Acidification, typically using sterile tartaric acid, adjusts the pH to 3.5 +/- 0.1 to create a more selective environment by inhibiting bacterial proliferation. Additionally, Chloramphenicol is incorporated as an antimicrobial agent to further suppress bacterial contamination, thereby facilitating the selective isolation of fungi.
13 MacConkey Agar Traditionally used to isolate and differentiate Gram-negative bacilli, E. faecalis can grow on this medium, producing small, round, magenta pink colonies due to lactose fermentation, indicating a positive result.

Mycobacteria

Culture Media

1 Phenol Red Mannitol Broth This is a differential medium, used to determine an organism's ability to ferment mannitol. S. aureus, which can ferment mannitol, will change the medium from red to yellow due to acid production.
2 Blood Agar (BA) This is a nutrient-rich, differential medium that supports the growth of many organisms. S. aureus forms colonies that are round, smooth, and golden-yellow. This bacterium typically demonstrates β-hemolysis, which is complete lysis of red blood cells, resulting in a clear zone around the colonies. This hemolysis is due to the production of hemolysins by S. aureus.
3 Sauton’s Medium A liquid medium that lacks detergents, which helps in the formation of corded colonies. When M. tuberculosis grows in this medium, it results in turbidity.
4 Sula’s Medium A liquid medium containing glycerol, asparagine, and a variety of salts. The growth of M. tuberculosis results in turbidity.
5 Middlebrook 7H9 Broth This is a liquid medium that contains glycerol and Tween 80, which prevent clumping of mycobacteria. The growth of M. tuberculosis results in turbidity.
6 Loeffler Medium A serum-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies on Loeffler medium are small, dry, wrinkled, and off-white to yellow.
7 Middlebrook 7H11 Agar This is a nutrient-rich medium similar to 7H10 but includes additional pyruvate for energy source, promoting more luxurious growth. The colonies of M. tuberculosis appear small, slightly domed, and rough with a butyrous consistency.
8 Middlebrook 7H10 Agar A selective medium that contains oleic acid, albumin, dextrose, and catalase. The colonies of M. tuberculosis appear small, rough, and buff to white-colored, taking less time to appear compared to egg-based media.
9 Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) Medium An egg-based medium that uses malachite green to suppress the growth of other bacteria and glycerol to stimulate the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The colonies of M. tuberculosis on LJ are non-pigmented, dry, rough, raised, irregular with a wrinkled surface, initially creamy-white, turning yellowish or buff-colored on further incubation.
10 Liquid Media (such as Nutrient Broth) E. coli exhibits homogenous turbid growth within 12-18 hours. After prolonged incubation, pellicles may form on the surface of the media.
11 Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA) A general purpose medium. E. coli colonies are medium to large, with a shiny moist appearance.
12 Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) It is composed of peptone, dextrose (glucose), and agar. The high dextrose concentration promotes fungal growth, while the acidic pH inhibits bacterial growth.
13 Tryptic Soy Broth or Agar (TSB/TSA) A general-purpose medium that supports the growth of a broad spectrum of bacteria. E. faecalis on TSA will typically form small, round, and white colonies, indicating a positive growth.

Fungi

Culture Media

1 Sauton’s Medium A liquid medium that lacks detergents, which helps in the formation of corded colonies. When M. tuberculosis grows in this medium, it results in turbidity.
2 BACTEC This is not a traditional medium but a system for detecting the growth of M. tuberculosis by monitoring the release of C14O2 from C14 palmitic acid, which the bacteria metabolize. An increase in radioactive counts in the BACTEC instrument indicates the growth of bacteria.
3 Sula’s Medium A liquid medium containing glycerol, asparagine, and a variety of salts. The growth of M. tuberculosis results in turbidity.
4 Dorset Medium An egg-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies appear similar to those on Petragnini Medium: small, round, buff-colored, and taking 3-4 weeks to develop.
5 Middlebrook 7H10 Agar A selective medium that contains oleic acid, albumin, dextrose, and catalase. The colonies of M. tuberculosis appear small, rough, and buff to white-colored, taking less time to appear compared to egg-based media.
6 Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) Medium An egg-based medium that uses malachite green to suppress the growth of other bacteria and glycerol to stimulate the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The colonies of M. tuberculosis on LJ are non-pigmented, dry, rough, raised, irregular with a wrinkled surface, initially creamy-white, turning yellowish or buff-colored on further incubation.
7 MacConkey Agar (MAC) This selective and differential medium distinguishes lactose fermenters from non-fermenters. E. coli colonies are circular, moist, smooth, and pink.
8 Nutrient Agar (NA) A non-selective medium. E. coli colonies are usually large, circular, grayish-white, moist, and smooth.
9 Nickerson’s Medium or Bismuth Sulfite Glucose Glycine Yeast (BSGG) This medium is used to stimulate the production of germ tubes, a characteristic of Candida albicans.
10 CHROMagar Candida This differential medium allows for the isolation and identification of Candida species based on colony color. Candida albicans usually forms green colonies on this medium.
11 Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) consists of a nutrient-rich substrate, made from dehydrated Potato Infusion and Dextrose, ideal for robust mycological propagation. Agar provides the solidifying medium. Acidification, typically using sterile tartaric acid, adjusts the pH to 3.5 +/- 0.1 to create a more selective environment by inhibiting bacterial proliferation. Additionally, Chloramphenicol is incorporated as an antimicrobial agent to further suppress bacterial contamination, thereby facilitating the selective isolation of fungi.

Bacilli

Culture Media

1 Sauton’s Medium A liquid medium that lacks detergents, which helps in the formation of corded colonies. When M. tuberculosis grows in this medium, it results in turbidity.
2 Proskauer and Beck’s Medium A liquid medium. The growth of M. tuberculosis causes turbidity.
3 Dorset Medium An egg-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies appear similar to those on Petragnini Medium: small, round, buff-colored, and taking 3-4 weeks to develop.
4 Middlebrook 7H11 Agar This is a nutrient-rich medium similar to 7H10 but includes additional pyruvate for energy source, promoting more luxurious growth. The colonies of M. tuberculosis appear small, slightly domed, and rough with a butyrous consistency.
5 Middlebrook 7H10 Agar A selective medium that contains oleic acid, albumin, dextrose, and catalase. The colonies of M. tuberculosis appear small, rough, and buff to white-colored, taking less time to appear compared to egg-based media.
6 Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) Medium An egg-based medium that uses malachite green to suppress the growth of other bacteria and glycerol to stimulate the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The colonies of M. tuberculosis on LJ are non-pigmented, dry, rough, raised, irregular with a wrinkled surface, initially creamy-white, turning yellowish or buff-colored on further incubation.
7 Simmons Citrate Agar Used for citrate utilization testing. E. coli usually can't utilize citrate as a sole carbon source, so no growth or color change would be expected.
8 Blood Agar (BA) E. coli colonies on this differential medium are large, circular, gray, moist, and can show β-hemolysis.
9 Nutrient Agar (NA) A non-selective medium. E. coli colonies are usually large, circular, grayish-white, moist, and smooth.
10 RPMI 1640 Medium It is a rich medium that contains inorganic salts, glucose, amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients that promote the growth of yeast cells.
11 Todd-Hewitt Broth A liquid enrichment medium used for the cultivation of fastidious organisms such as streptococci and enterococci. E. faecalis will lead to a turbid broth due to microbial growth.
12 Brain-Heart Infusion (BHI) Broth or Agar This is a nutrient-rich medium that supports the growth of a variety of fastidious organisms, including E. faecalis. The typical phenotype of E. faecalis on BHI is small, round, and white colonies.

Cocci

Culture Media

1 Sula’s Medium A liquid medium containing glycerol, asparagine, and a variety of salts. The growth of M. tuberculosis results in turbidity.
2 Pawlowsky Medium A potato-based medium. Growth of M. tuberculosis may be similar to that seen on the LJ Medium.
3 Tarshis Medium A blood-based medium that can promote the growth of M. tuberculosis. The colonies appear similar to those on the LJ Medium.
4 Middlebrook 7H10 Agar A selective medium that contains oleic acid, albumin, dextrose, and catalase. The colonies of M. tuberculosis appear small, rough, and buff to white-colored, taking less time to appear compared to egg-based media.
5 Petragnini Medium An egg-based medium enriched with additional nutrients to promote the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Colonies of M. tuberculosis are small, round, buff-colored, and typically take 3-4 weeks to appear.
6 Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) Medium An egg-based medium that uses malachite green to suppress the growth of other bacteria and glycerol to stimulate the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The colonies of M. tuberculosis on LJ are non-pigmented, dry, rough, raised, irregular with a wrinkled surface, initially creamy-white, turning yellowish or buff-colored on further incubation.
7 Simmons Citrate Agar Used for citrate utilization testing. E. coli usually can't utilize citrate as a sole carbon source, so no growth or color change would be expected.
8 RPMI 1640 Medium It is a rich medium that contains inorganic salts, glucose, amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients that promote the growth of yeast cells.
9 Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) consists of a nutrient-rich substrate, made from dehydrated Potato Infusion and Dextrose, ideal for robust mycological propagation. Agar provides the solidifying medium. Acidification, typically using sterile tartaric acid, adjusts the pH to 3.5 +/- 0.1 to create a more selective environment by inhibiting bacterial proliferation. Additionally, Chloramphenicol is incorporated as an antimicrobial agent to further suppress bacterial contamination, thereby facilitating the selective isolation of fungi.
10 MacConkey Agar Traditionally used to isolate and differentiate Gram-negative bacilli, E. faecalis can grow on this medium, producing small, round, magenta pink colonies due to lactose fermentation, indicating a positive result.

Spirillum

Culture Media

1 Middlebrook 7H9 Broth This is a liquid medium that contains glycerol and Tween 80, which prevent clumping of mycobacteria. The growth of M. tuberculosis results in turbidity.
2 Tarshis Medium A blood-based medium that can promote the growth of M. tuberculosis. The colonies appear similar to those on the LJ Medium.
3 Dorset Medium An egg-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies appear similar to those on Petragnini Medium: small, round, buff-colored, and taking 3-4 weeks to develop.
4 Middlebrook 7H11 Agar This is a nutrient-rich medium similar to 7H10 but includes additional pyruvate for energy source, promoting more luxurious growth. The colonies of M. tuberculosis appear small, slightly domed, and rough with a butyrous consistency.
5 Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) consists of a nutrient-rich substrate, made from dehydrated Potato Infusion and Dextrose, ideal for robust mycological propagation. Agar provides the solidifying medium. Acidification, typically using sterile tartaric acid, adjusts the pH to 3.5 +/- 0.1 to create a more selective environment by inhibiting bacterial proliferation. Additionally, Chloramphenicol is incorporated as an antimicrobial agent to further suppress bacterial contamination, thereby facilitating the selective isolation of fungi.
6 Blood Agar A differential medium used to identify bacteria based on their hemolytic properties. E. faecalis typically shows gamma-hemolysis on this medium, i.e., no hemolysis or change in the color of the medium.
7 Azide Dextrose Broth A selective medium inhibiting Gram-negative bacteria, used for the isolation of streptococci and staphylococci from mixed samples. E. faecalis will show a positive growth resulting in a turbid appearance of the broth.
8 Brain-Heart Infusion (BHI) Broth or Agar This is a nutrient-rich medium that supports the growth of a variety of fastidious organisms, including E. faecalis. The typical phenotype of E. faecalis on BHI is small, round, and white colonies.

Spirochetes

Culture Media

1 Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA), or Chapman Agar This is a selective and differential medium. The high concentration of NaCl (~7.5%) selects for halophiles, organisms that can tolerate high salt concentrations, thereby favouring the growth of Staphylococcus species. Mannitol is the differential component: S. aureus ferments mannitol, lowering the pH of the medium, which results in a color change of the pH indicator from red to yellow. Thus, growth of S. aureus is indicated by yellow colonies.
2 Sauton’s Medium A liquid medium that lacks detergents, which helps in the formation of corded colonies. When M. tuberculosis grows in this medium, it results in turbidity.
3 BACTEC This is not a traditional medium but a system for detecting the growth of M. tuberculosis by monitoring the release of C14O2 from C14 palmitic acid, which the bacteria metabolize. An increase in radioactive counts in the BACTEC instrument indicates the growth of bacteria.
4 Sula’s Medium A liquid medium containing glycerol, asparagine, and a variety of salts. The growth of M. tuberculosis results in turbidity.
5 Dubos’ Medium A liquid medium that contains a mixture of salts, fatty acids, and polysorbate. When M. tuberculosis grows in this medium, it causes the medium to become turbid.
6 Loeffler Medium A serum-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies on Loeffler medium are small, dry, wrinkled, and off-white to yellow.
7 Tarshis Medium A blood-based medium that can promote the growth of M. tuberculosis. The colonies appear similar to those on the LJ Medium.
8 Dorset Medium An egg-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies appear similar to those on Petragnini Medium: small, round, buff-colored, and taking 3-4 weeks to develop.
9 Middlebrook 7H11 Agar This is a nutrient-rich medium similar to 7H10 but includes additional pyruvate for energy source, promoting more luxurious growth. The colonies of M. tuberculosis appear small, slightly domed, and rough with a butyrous consistency.
10 Cystine Lactose Electrolyte-Deficient (CLED) Agar E. coli will give lactose-positive yellow colonies.
11 Violet Red Bile Agar (VRBA) E. coli colonies are red (pink to red) and may show bluish fluorescence under UV light.
12 Blood Agar (BA) E. coli colonies on this differential medium are large, circular, gray, moist, and can show β-hemolysis.
13 Nutrient Agar It is a general-purpose medium. However, E. faecalis grows poorly on nutrient agar, which means it does not proliferate as well on this medium compared to the others listed, indicating a negative or poor growth.