1Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA), or Chapman AgarThis 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.
2Blood 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.
3Sula’s MediumA liquid medium containing glycerol, asparagine, and a variety of salts. The growth of M. tuberculosis results in turbidity.
4Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) MediumAn 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.
5Brilliant Green Agar (BGA)A selective medium that is used to isolate Salmonella species, but E. coli can grow on it, albeit not as well.
6Urea Agar/BrothE. coli is typically urease negative, so no color change would be expected in this medium.
7Triple Sugar Iron (TSI) AgarE. coli typically produces an acid butt, acid slant, and gas, with no H2S production, indicating it ferments lactose, sucrose, and glucose.
8Cystine Lactose Electrolyte-Deficient (CLED) AgarE. coli will give lactose-positive yellow colonies.
9Nickerson’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.
10CHROMagar CandidaThis differential medium allows for the isolation and identification of Candida species based on colony color. Candida albicans usually forms green colonies on this medium.
11Blood AgarA 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.
12Todd-Hewitt BrothA 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.
13Bile Esculin Agar (BEA)A selective and differential medium that differentiates group D Streptococci and Enterococci based on the ability to hydrolyze esculin in the presence of bile. E. faecalis hydrolyzes esculin, leading to the formation of a dark brown or black precipita
1Blood 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.
2Sula’s MediumA liquid medium containing glycerol, asparagine, and a variety of salts. The growth of M. tuberculosis results in turbidity.
3Pawlowsky MediumA potato-based medium. Growth of M. tuberculosis may be similar to that seen on the LJ Medium.
4Petragnini MediumAn 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.
5Brilliant Green Agar (BGA)A selective medium that is used to isolate Salmonella species, but E. coli can grow on it, albeit not as well.
6Urea Agar/BrothE. coli is typically urease negative, so no color change would be expected in this medium.
7Triple Sugar Iron (TSI) AgarE. coli typically produces an acid butt, acid slant, and gas, with no H2S production, indicating it ferments lactose, sucrose, and glucose.
8Simmons Citrate AgarUsed 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.
9Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA)A general purpose medium. E. coli colonies are medium to large, with a shiny moist appearance.
10Cystine Lactose Electrolyte-Deficient (CLED) AgarE. coli will give lactose-positive yellow colonies.
11Violet Red Bile Agar (VRBA)E. coli colonies are red (pink to red) and may show bluish fluorescence under UV light.
12Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) AgarA selective and differential medium where E. coli forms distinctive metallic green sheen colonies due to vigorous lactose fermentation.
13Nickerson’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.
14Cornmeal Agar with Tween 80It is used for the identification of Candida species by promoting the formation of chlamydospores, which is a characteristic of Candida albicans.
15CHROMagar CandidaThis differential medium allows for the isolation and identification of Candida species based on colony color. Candida albicans usually forms green colonies on this medium.
16RPMI 1640 MediumIt is a rich medium that contains inorganic salts, glucose, amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients that promote the growth of yeast cells.
17Potato 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.
18Sabouraud 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.
19Blood AgarA 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.
20Todd-Hewitt BrothA 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.
21Enterococcosel AgarA selective and differential medium that inhibits the growth of Gram-negative bacteria and distinguishes enterococci based on their ability to grow in the presence of bile and hydrolyze esculin. E. faecalis will form small, black colonies on this medium due to esculin hydrolysis.
22Bile Esculin Agar (BEA)A selective and differential medium that differentiates group D Streptococci and Enterococci based on the ability to hydrolyze esculin in the presence of bile. E. faecalis hydrolyzes esculin, leading to the formation of a dark brown or black precipita
1m-ENDO AgarE. coli colonies appear as green with a metallic sheen, indicating lactose fermentation.
2Potato 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.
3Sabouraud 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.
4Tryptic 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.
5Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA), or Chapman AgarThis 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.
6Azide Dextrose BrothA 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.
7Loeffler MediumA serum-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies on Loeffler medium are small, dry, wrinkled, and off-white to yellow.
8Simmons Citrate AgarUsed 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.
9Petragnini MediumAn 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.
10Violet Red Bile Agar (VRBA)E. coli colonies are red (pink to red) and may show bluish fluorescence under UV light.
11Cornmeal Agar with Tween 80It is used for the identification of Candida species by promoting the formation of chlamydospores, which is a characteristic of Candida albicans.
12Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) AgarA selective and differential medium where E. coli forms distinctive metallic green sheen colonies due to vigorous lactose fermentation.
13Urea Agar/BrothE. coli is typically urease negative, so no color change would be expected in this medium.
14Nickerson’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.
15CHROMagar CandidaThis differential medium allows for the isolation and identification of Candida species based on colony color. Candida albicans usually forms green colonies on this medium.
16Tarshis MediumA blood-based medium that can promote the growth of M. tuberculosis. The colonies appear similar to those on the LJ Medium.
17Dubos’ MediumA 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.
18Liquid 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.
19Nutrient AgarIt 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.
20Sorbitol-MacConkey agarA variant of MacConkey agar, used in detecting E. coli O157:H7, which does not ferment sorbitol, unlike most strains of E. coli.
21Nutrient Agar (NA)A non-selective medium. E. coli colonies are usually large, circular, grayish-white, moist, and smooth.
22Sf1Ep mediumCulturing Treponema pallidum, the bacteria that causes syphilis, in vitro is a challenge. T. pallidum is not routinely cultured in the laboratory for diagnostic purposes, in part because it cannot be grown on artificial media. However, a breakthrough in culturing T. pallidum was reported in 2018 when researchers managed to grow the bacterium in a rabbit epithelial cell line (Sf1Ep) using a medium called 'Sf1Ep medium'. It's not used for routine diagnostic purposes, but for research only. The diagnosis involves direct microscopic examination, serologic tests, molecular tests and histopathology.
23Blood Agar (BA)E. coli colonies on this differential medium are large, circular, gray, moist, and can show β-hemolysis.
24Brain-Heart Infusion (BHI) Broth or AgarThis 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.
25Dorset MediumAn egg-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies appear similar to those on Petragnini Medium: small, round, buff-colored, and taking 3-4 weeks to develop.
26Mueller Hinton Agar (MHA)Typically used for antibiotic susceptibility testing. E. coli colonies appear pale straw colored.
27Enterococcosel AgarA selective and differential medium that inhibits the growth of Gram-negative bacteria and distinguishes enterococci based on their ability to grow in the presence of bile and hydrolyze esculin. E. faecalis will form small, black colonies on this medium due to esculin hydrolysis.
28Cystine Lactose Electrolyte-Deficient (CLED) AgarE. coli will give lactose-positive yellow colonies.
29Blood 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.
30Sauton’s MediumA liquid medium that lacks detergents, which helps in the formation of corded colonies. When M. tuberculosis grows in this medium, it results in turbidity.
31MacConkey AgarTraditionally 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.
32Lysine Iron Agar (LIA)Used to determine the ability of an organism to decarboxylate or deaminate lysine and to form hydrogen sulfide. E. coli is typically lysine decarboxylase positive and H2S negative, so you would see a reaction of red/purple slant and purple/red butt with no black precipitate.
33Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) MediumAn 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.
34MacConkey Agar (MAC)This selective and differential medium distinguishes lactose fermenters from non-fermenters. E. coli colonies are circular, moist, smooth, and pink.
35Middlebrook 7H11 AgarThis 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.
36Pawlowsky MediumA potato-based medium. Growth of M. tuberculosis may be similar to that seen on the LJ Medium.
37RPMI 1640 MediumIt is a rich medium that contains inorganic salts, glucose, amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients that promote the growth of yeast cells.
38Middlebrook 7H10 AgarA 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.
39Brilliant Green Agar (BGA)A selective medium that is used to isolate Salmonella species, but E. coli can grow on it, albeit not as well.
40Todd-Hewitt BrothA 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.
41Triple Sugar Iron (TSI) AgarE. coli typically produces an acid butt, acid slant, and gas, with no H2S production, indicating it ferments lactose, sucrose, and glucose.
42Blood AgarA 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.
43Sula’s MediumA liquid medium containing glycerol, asparagine, and a variety of salts. The growth of M. tuberculosis results in turbidity.
44Bile Esculin Agar (BEA)A selective and differential medium that differentiates group D Streptococci and Enterococci based on the ability to hydrolyze esculin in the presence of bile. E. faecalis hydrolyzes esculin, leading to the formation of a dark brown or black precipita
1Sf1Ep mediumCulturing Treponema pallidum, the bacteria that causes syphilis, in vitro is a challenge. T. pallidum is not routinely cultured in the laboratory for diagnostic purposes, in part because it cannot be grown on artificial media. However, a breakthrough in culturing T. pallidum was reported in 2018 when researchers managed to grow the bacterium in a rabbit epithelial cell line (Sf1Ep) using a medium called 'Sf1Ep medium'. It's not used for routine diagnostic purposes, but for research only. The diagnosis involves direct microscopic examination, serologic tests, molecular tests and histopathology.
2Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA), or Chapman AgarThis 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.
3Blood 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.
4Sauton’s MediumA liquid medium that lacks detergents, which helps in the formation of corded colonies. When M. tuberculosis grows in this medium, it results in turbidity.
5Sula’s MediumA liquid medium containing glycerol, asparagine, and a variety of salts. The growth of M. tuberculosis results in turbidity.
6Pawlowsky MediumA potato-based medium. Growth of M. tuberculosis may be similar to that seen on the LJ Medium.
7Loeffler MediumA serum-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies on Loeffler medium are small, dry, wrinkled, and off-white to yellow.
8Tarshis MediumA blood-based medium that can promote the growth of M. tuberculosis. The colonies appear similar to those on the LJ Medium.
9Dorset MediumAn egg-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies appear similar to those on Petragnini Medium: small, round, buff-colored, and taking 3-4 weeks to develop.
10Middlebrook 7H10 AgarA 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.
11Petragnini MediumAn 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.
12Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) MediumAn 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.
13Liquid 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.
14Lysine Iron Agar (LIA)Used to determine the ability of an organism to decarboxylate or deaminate lysine and to form hydrogen sulfide. E. coli is typically lysine decarboxylase positive and H2S negative, so you would see a reaction of red/purple slant and purple/red butt with no black precipitate.
15Brilliant Green Agar (BGA)A selective medium that is used to isolate Salmonella species, but E. coli can grow on it, albeit not as well.
16Sorbitol-MacConkey agarA variant of MacConkey agar, used in detecting E. coli O157:H7, which does not ferment sorbitol, unlike most strains of E. coli.
17Urea Agar/BrothE. coli is typically urease negative, so no color change would be expected in this medium.
18Triple Sugar Iron (TSI) AgarE. coli typically produces an acid butt, acid slant, and gas, with no H2S production, indicating it ferments lactose, sucrose, and glucose.
19Simmons Citrate AgarUsed 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.
20Cystine Lactose Electrolyte-Deficient (CLED) AgarE. coli will give lactose-positive yellow colonies.
21Violet Red Bile Agar (VRBA)E. coli colonies are red (pink to red) and may show bluish fluorescence under UV light.
22Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) AgarA selective and differential medium where E. coli forms distinctive metallic green sheen colonies due to vigorous lactose fermentation.
23Mueller Hinton Agar (MHA)Typically used for antibiotic susceptibility testing. E. coli colonies appear pale straw colored.
24MacConkey Agar (MAC)This selective and differential medium distinguishes lactose fermenters from non-fermenters. E. coli colonies are circular, moist, smooth, and pink.
25Blood Agar (BA)E. coli colonies on this differential medium are large, circular, gray, moist, and can show β-hemolysis.
26Nutrient Agar (NA)A non-selective medium. E. coli colonies are usually large, circular, grayish-white, moist, and smooth.
27Nickerson’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.
28Cornmeal Agar with Tween 80It is used for the identification of Candida species by promoting the formation of chlamydospores, which is a characteristic of Candida albicans.
29CHROMagar CandidaThis differential medium allows for the isolation and identification of Candida species based on colony color. Candida albicans usually forms green colonies on this medium.
30RPMI 1640 MediumIt is a rich medium that contains inorganic salts, glucose, amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients that promote the growth of yeast cells.
31Potato 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.
32Sabouraud 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.
33Nutrient AgarIt 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.
34Blood AgarA 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.
35MacConkey AgarTraditionally 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.
36Azide Dextrose BrothA 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.
37Todd-Hewitt BrothA 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.
38Enterococcosel AgarA selective and differential medium that inhibits the growth of Gram-negative bacteria and distinguishes enterococci based on their ability to grow in the presence of bile and hydrolyze esculin. E. faecalis will form small, black colonies on this medium due to esculin hydrolysis.
39Bile Esculin Agar (BEA)A selective and differential medium that differentiates group D Streptococci and Enterococci based on the ability to hydrolyze esculin in the presence of bile. E. faecalis hydrolyzes esculin, leading to the formation of a dark brown or black precipita
40Brain-Heart Infusion (BHI) Broth or AgarThis 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.
41Tryptic 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.
1Sf1Ep mediumCulturing Treponema pallidum, the bacteria that causes syphilis, in vitro is a challenge. T. pallidum is not routinely cultured in the laboratory for diagnostic purposes, in part because it cannot be grown on artificial media. However, a breakthrough in culturing T. pallidum was reported in 2018 when researchers managed to grow the bacterium in a rabbit epithelial cell line (Sf1Ep) using a medium called 'Sf1Ep medium'. It's not used for routine diagnostic purposes, but for research only. The diagnosis involves direct microscopic examination, serologic tests, molecular tests and histopathology.
2Phenol Red Mannitol BrothThis 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.
3DNase Test AgarS. aureus produces the enzyme DNase which hydrolyses DNA. When S. aureus grows on this medium, the DNA is broken down, which can be visualised using a hydrochloric acid (HCl) solution: clear zones around the colonies indicate DNA breakdown.
4Blood 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.
5Sauton’s MediumA liquid medium that lacks detergents, which helps in the formation of corded colonies. When M. tuberculosis grows in this medium, it results in turbidity.
6Sula’s MediumA liquid medium containing glycerol, asparagine, and a variety of salts. The growth of M. tuberculosis results in turbidity.
7Pawlowsky MediumA potato-based medium. Growth of M. tuberculosis may be similar to that seen on the LJ Medium.
8Loeffler MediumA serum-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies on Loeffler medium are small, dry, wrinkled, and off-white to yellow.
9Dorset MediumAn egg-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies appear similar to those on Petragnini Medium: small, round, buff-colored, and taking 3-4 weeks to develop.
10Middlebrook 7H11 AgarThis 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.
11Middlebrook 7H10 AgarA 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.
12Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) MediumAn 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.
13Lysine Iron Agar (LIA)Used to determine the ability of an organism to decarboxylate or deaminate lysine and to form hydrogen sulfide. E. coli is typically lysine decarboxylase positive and H2S negative, so you would see a reaction of red/purple slant and purple/red butt with no black precipitate.
14Sorbitol-MacConkey agarA variant of MacConkey agar, used in detecting E. coli O157:H7, which does not ferment sorbitol, unlike most strains of E. coli.
15Urea Agar/BrothE. coli is typically urease negative, so no color change would be expected in this medium.
16Triple Sugar Iron (TSI) AgarE. coli typically produces an acid butt, acid slant, and gas, with no H2S production, indicating it ferments lactose, sucrose, and glucose.
17Simmons Citrate AgarUsed 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.
18Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) AgarA selective and differential medium where E. coli forms distinctive metallic green sheen colonies due to vigorous lactose fermentation.
19Mueller Hinton Agar (MHA)Typically used for antibiotic susceptibility testing. E. coli colonies appear pale straw colored.
20MacConkey Agar (MAC)This selective and differential medium distinguishes lactose fermenters from non-fermenters. E. coli colonies are circular, moist, smooth, and pink.
21Blood Agar (BA)E. coli colonies on this differential medium are large, circular, gray, moist, and can show β-hemolysis.
22Nutrient Agar (NA)A non-selective medium. E. coli colonies are usually large, circular, grayish-white, moist, and smooth.
23Nickerson’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.
24Cornmeal Agar with Tween 80It is used for the identification of Candida species by promoting the formation of chlamydospores, which is a characteristic of Candida albicans.
25CHROMagar CandidaThis differential medium allows for the isolation and identification of Candida species based on colony color. Candida albicans usually forms green colonies on this medium.
26RPMI 1640 MediumIt is a rich medium that contains inorganic salts, glucose, amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients that promote the growth of yeast cells.
27Potato 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.
28Sabouraud 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.
29Nutrient AgarIt 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.
30Blood AgarA 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.
31MacConkey AgarTraditionally 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.
32Azide Dextrose BrothA 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.
33Todd-Hewitt BrothA 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.
34Enterococcosel AgarA selective and differential medium that inhibits the growth of Gram-negative bacteria and distinguishes enterococci based on their ability to grow in the presence of bile and hydrolyze esculin. E. faecalis will form small, black colonies on this medium due to esculin hydrolysis.
35Bile Esculin Agar (BEA)A selective and differential medium that differentiates group D Streptococci and Enterococci based on the ability to hydrolyze esculin in the presence of bile. E. faecalis hydrolyzes esculin, leading to the formation of a dark brown or black precipita
36Tryptic 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.
1Sabouraud 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.
2Potato 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.
3Tryptic 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.
4Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA), or Chapman AgarThis 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.
5Phenol Red Mannitol BrothThis 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.
6Simmons Citrate AgarUsed 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.
7Violet Red Bile Agar (VRBA)E. coli colonies are red (pink to red) and may show bluish fluorescence under UV light.
8Petragnini MediumAn 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.
9Cornmeal Agar with Tween 80It is used for the identification of Candida species by promoting the formation of chlamydospores, which is a characteristic of Candida albicans.
10Bile Esculin Agar (BEA)A selective and differential medium that differentiates group D Streptococci and Enterococci based on the ability to hydrolyze esculin in the presence of bile. E. faecalis hydrolyzes esculin, leading to the formation of a dark brown or black precipita
11Urea Agar/BrothE. coli is typically urease negative, so no color change would be expected in this medium.
12Nickerson’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.
13Tarshis MediumA blood-based medium that can promote the growth of M. tuberculosis. The colonies appear similar to those on the LJ Medium.
14Dubos’ MediumA 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.
15Azide Dextrose BrothA 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.
16Loeffler MediumA serum-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies on Loeffler medium are small, dry, wrinkled, and off-white to yellow.
17Brain-Heart Infusion (BHI) Broth or AgarThis 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.
18Nutrient Agar (NA)A non-selective medium. E. coli colonies are usually large, circular, grayish-white, moist, and smooth.
19CHROMagar CandidaThis differential medium allows for the isolation and identification of Candida species based on colony color. Candida albicans usually forms green colonies on this medium.
20Cystine Lactose Electrolyte-Deficient (CLED) AgarE. coli will give lactose-positive yellow colonies.
21Liquid 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.
22Sorbitol-MacConkey agarA variant of MacConkey agar, used in detecting E. coli O157:H7, which does not ferment sorbitol, unlike most strains of E. coli.
23Nutrient AgarIt 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.
24Sauton’s MediumA liquid medium that lacks detergents, which helps in the formation of corded colonies. When M. tuberculosis grows in this medium, it results in turbidity.
25MacConkey AgarTraditionally 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.
26Lysine Iron Agar (LIA)Used to determine the ability of an organism to decarboxylate or deaminate lysine and to form hydrogen sulfide. E. coli is typically lysine decarboxylase positive and H2S negative, so you would see a reaction of red/purple slant and purple/red butt with no black precipitate.
27Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) MediumAn 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.
28Blood Agar (BA)E. coli colonies on this differential medium are large, circular, gray, moist, and can show β-hemolysis.
29Sf1Ep mediumCulturing Treponema pallidum, the bacteria that causes syphilis, in vitro is a challenge. T. pallidum is not routinely cultured in the laboratory for diagnostic purposes, in part because it cannot be grown on artificial media. However, a breakthrough in culturing T. pallidum was reported in 2018 when researchers managed to grow the bacterium in a rabbit epithelial cell line (Sf1Ep) using a medium called 'Sf1Ep medium'. It's not used for routine diagnostic purposes, but for research only. The diagnosis involves direct microscopic examination, serologic tests, molecular tests and histopathology.
30Dorset MediumAn egg-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies appear similar to those on Petragnini Medium: small, round, buff-colored, and taking 3-4 weeks to develop.
31Mueller Hinton Agar (MHA)Typically used for antibiotic susceptibility testing. E. coli colonies appear pale straw colored.
32MacConkey Agar (MAC)This selective and differential medium distinguishes lactose fermenters from non-fermenters. E. coli colonies are circular, moist, smooth, and pink.
33Middlebrook 7H11 AgarThis 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.
34RPMI 1640 MediumIt is a rich medium that contains inorganic salts, glucose, amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients that promote the growth of yeast cells.
35Pawlowsky MediumA potato-based medium. Growth of M. tuberculosis may be similar to that seen on the LJ Medium.
36Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) AgarA selective and differential medium where E. coli forms distinctive metallic green sheen colonies due to vigorous lactose fermentation.
37Enterococcosel AgarA selective and differential medium that inhibits the growth of Gram-negative bacteria and distinguishes enterococci based on their ability to grow in the presence of bile and hydrolyze esculin. E. faecalis will form small, black colonies on this medium due to esculin hydrolysis.
38Brilliant Green Agar (BGA)A selective medium that is used to isolate Salmonella species, but E. coli can grow on it, albeit not as well.
39Todd-Hewitt BrothA 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.
40Blood AgarA 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.
41Sula’s MediumA liquid medium containing glycerol, asparagine, and a variety of salts. The growth of M. tuberculosis results in turbidity.
1Tarshis MediumA blood-based medium that can promote the growth of M. tuberculosis. The colonies appear similar to those on the LJ Medium.
2Proskauer and Beck’s MediumA liquid medium. The growth of M. tuberculosis causes turbidity.
3Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA)A general purpose medium. E. coli colonies are medium to large, with a shiny moist appearance.
4Middlebrook 7H9 BrothThis is a liquid medium that contains glycerol and Tween 80, which prevent clumping of mycobacteria. The growth of M. tuberculosis results in turbidity.
5DNase Test AgarS. aureus produces the enzyme DNase which hydrolyses DNA. When S. aureus grows on this medium, the DNA is broken down, which can be visualised using a hydrochloric acid (HCl) solution: clear zones around the colonies indicate DNA breakdown.
6Potato 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.
7MacConkey AgarTraditionally 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.
8Lysine Iron Agar (LIA)Used to determine the ability of an organism to decarboxylate or deaminate lysine and to form hydrogen sulfide. E. coli is typically lysine decarboxylase positive and H2S negative, so you would see a reaction of red/purple slant and purple/red butt with no black precipitate.
9Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) MediumAn 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.
10Dorset MediumAn egg-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies appear similar to those on Petragnini Medium: small, round, buff-colored, and taking 3-4 weeks to develop.
11Mueller Hinton Agar (MHA)Typically used for antibiotic susceptibility testing. E. coli colonies appear pale straw colored.
12MacConkey Agar (MAC)This selective and differential medium distinguishes lactose fermenters from non-fermenters. E. coli colonies are circular, moist, smooth, and pink.
13Middlebrook 7H11 AgarThis 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.
14Middlebrook 7H10 AgarA 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.
15Pawlowsky MediumA potato-based medium. Growth of M. tuberculosis may be similar to that seen on the LJ Medium.
16RPMI 1640 MediumIt is a rich medium that contains inorganic salts, glucose, amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients that promote the growth of yeast cells.
17Phenol Red Mannitol BrothThis 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.
18Violet Red Bile Agar (VRBA)E. coli colonies are red (pink to red) and may show bluish fluorescence under UV light.
19Simmons Citrate AgarUsed 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.
20Baird-Parker Agar (BPA)his is a selective medium for the isolation of Staphylococcus species. It has lithium chloride and glycine to inhibit the growth of Gram-negative bacteria and most Gram-positive bacteria except Staphylococcus. Egg yolk emulsion is added to detect lecithinase production and tellurite reduction. S. aureus colonies on BPA are black due to reduction of tellurite, and they exhibit a clear zone due to lecithinase activity on egg yolk.
21BACTECThis 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.
22Sabouraud 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.
23Liquid 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.
24Petragnini MediumAn 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.
25Cornmeal Agar with Tween 80It is used for the identification of Candida species by promoting the formation of chlamydospores, which is a characteristic of Candida albicans.
26Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) AgarA selective and differential medium where E. coli forms distinctive metallic green sheen colonies due to vigorous lactose fermentation.
27Enterococcosel AgarA selective and differential medium that inhibits the growth of Gram-negative bacteria and distinguishes enterococci based on their ability to grow in the presence of bile and hydrolyze esculin. E. faecalis will form small, black colonies on this medium due to esculin hydrolysis.
28Brilliant Green Agar (BGA)A selective medium that is used to isolate Salmonella species, but E. coli can grow on it, albeit not as well.
29Todd-Hewitt BrothA 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.
30Blood AgarA 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.
31Triple Sugar Iron (TSI) AgarE. coli typically produces an acid butt, acid slant, and gas, with no H2S production, indicating it ferments lactose, sucrose, and glucose.
32Nutrient AgarIt 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.
33Sorbitol-MacConkey agarA variant of MacConkey agar, used in detecting E. coli O157:H7, which does not ferment sorbitol, unlike most strains of E. coli.
34Tryptic 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.
35Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA), or Chapman AgarThis 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.
36Loeffler MediumA serum-based medium. M. tuberculosis colonies on Loeffler medium are small, dry, wrinkled, and off-white to yellow.
37Azide Dextrose BrothA 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.
38Nutrient Agar (NA)A non-selective medium. E. coli colonies are usually large, circular, grayish-white, moist, and smooth.
39Blood Agar (BA)E. coli colonies on this differential medium are large, circular, gray, moist, and can show β-hemolysis.
40Brain-Heart Infusion (BHI) Broth or AgarThis 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.
41Sula’s MediumA liquid medium containing glycerol, asparagine, and a variety of salts. The growth of M. tuberculosis results in turbidity.
42Urea Agar/BrothE. coli is typically urease negative, so no color change would be expected in this medium.
43Bile Esculin Agar (BEA)A selective and differential medium that differentiates group D Streptococci and Enterococci based on the ability to hydrolyze esculin in the presence of bile. E. faecalis hydrolyzes esculin, leading to the formation of a dark brown or black precipita
44Nickerson’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.
45CHROMagar CandidaThis differential medium allows for the isolation and identification of Candida species based on colony color. Candida albicans usually forms green colonies on this medium.
46Cystine Lactose Electrolyte-Deficient (CLED) AgarE. coli will give lactose-positive yellow colonies.
47Blood 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.