agar and tellurous-acid

The effect of potassium tellurite concentration in a chromogenic agar medium on the detection of tellurite-resistant "top seven" Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in beef was evaluated. Samples of ground beef were inoculated with tellurite-resistant STEC O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, or O157 strains at geometric mean (±standard error of the mean) levels of 0, 49 (±1), 490 (±1), or 4900 (±1) CFU/10 g and enriched 1:10 (90 mL) in EC broth (40°C for 6 h). Following enrichment, aliquots of broth culture were treated by immunomagnetic separation with one of three pools of beads against STEC serogroups; pool I: O26, O45, and O121; pool II: O103, O111, and O145; and pool III: O157. After immunomagnetic separation, 50 μL of washed bead suspensions in buffered peptone water was spiral plated onto a modified Possé medium containing 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 mg/L potassium tellurite, and incubated at 37°C for 18 h. Up to four isolated colonies were picked from each spiral plate based on expected colony phenotypes for STEC, and isolate identity was confirmed with an 11-plex PCR assay targeting the O serogroups and virulence genes. Overall, across all inoculum levels and strains, modified Possé media containing 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 mg/L potassium tellurite each had a positive predictive value of 100%, and medium containing 0.5 mg/L potassium tellurite had numerically the highest sensitivity (100%) and negative predictive value (100%), which was significantly different from 1.5 mg/L (92.9% and 40.0%, respectively; P < 0.05). Similarly, there was an inverse relationship between potassium tellurite concentration and analytical specificity (number of colonies tested that were STEC-positive): 0.5 (1463 of 1482; 98.7%), 1.0 (1356 of 1411; 96.1%), and 1.5 mg/L (1187 of 1278; 92.9%; P < 0.05). These results suggest that 0.5 mg/L gives better performance than 1.0 or 1.5 mg/L of potassium tellurite in Possé medium for isolation of tellurite-resistant "top seven" STEC from ground beef.

Topics: Agar; Animals; Cattle; Culture Media; Meat; Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are globally important food-borne pathogens. The isolation of non-O157 STEC is a significant public health challenge due to the dramatic diversity of their phenotypes and genotypes. In the present study, 476 non-O157 STEC strains representing 95 different O-serogroups were used to evaluate tellurite resistance and the performance of 12 different chromogenic agars. Of 476 strains, only 108 (22.7%) strains showed the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for potassium tellurite being higher than 4μg/ml, and 96 (20.2%) strains harbored intact ter genes cluster. The presence of ter genes was significantly correlated with tellurite resistance. Six commercial chromogenic agars (TBX, MAC, SMAC, Rainbow® Agar O157, CHROMagar™ ECC, and Fluorocult O157) supported the growth of all strains. However, CT-SMAC, CHROMagar™ O157, and CHROMagar™ STEC agars exhibited 12.2%, 31.1%, and 38.0% of growth inhibition, respectively. Furthermore, 4.6%, 33.2%, and 45.0% of strains were inhibited on RBA-USDA, RBA-NT, and BCM O157 agar media. Variations in tellurite resistance and colony appearance might result in discrepant performance of non-O157 STEC recovery from different chromogenic agars. Using inclusive agars or less selective agar in combination with highly selective agar should be suggested to recover most non-O157 STEC strains, which would increase the probability of recovering STECs from complex background microflora.

Topics: Agar; Antineoplastic Agents; Culture Media; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Escherichia coli O157; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Serogroup; Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli; Tellurium

The comparative tests of growth mediums for isolation and accumulation of diphtheria bacteria were implemented. The testing consisted of six series of growth medium "Corynebacagar" produced by the state research center of applied microbiology and biotechnology and three series of blood tellurite agar. The concluding results of identification of biological indicators of all series of growth nutrient mediums are presented The "Corynebacagar" is recommended for application in health care practice for primary inoculation of pathological material during implementation of cultural analysis on diphtheria.

Topics: Agar; Corynebacterium diphtheriae; Culture Media; Diphtheria; Humans; Tellurium

To compare rhamnose MacConkey agar supplemented with cefixime and tellurite (CT-RMac) and tryptone bile X-glucuronide (TBX) agars as isolation media for Vero cytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) serogroup O26 from animal faeces.. Nine VTEC O26 were isolated from sheep faeces; out of which six were isolated only on CT-RMac and one was isolated only on TBX. One hundred and twelve VTEC O26 were isolated from calf faeces; out of which 97% were from CT-RMac and 52% were from TBX. In a study of E. coli O26 strains, 84% of VT-positive O26 did not ferment rhamnose when compared with 16% of VT-negative O26. VT-positive (19%) and VT-negative (39%) E. coli O26 strains did not grow on CT-RMac agar.. It is important to consider that VTEC O26 strains either may ferment rhamnose or may be sensitive to the CT supplement of CT-RMac agar.. This work compares CT-RMac and TBX agars as isolation medium for VTEC O26 from Scottish animal faeces and highlights that VTEC O26 may be missed if only CT-RMac agar is used.

Topics: Agar; Animals; Cattle; Cefixime; Culture Media; Feces; Fermentation; Rhamnose; Sheep; Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli; Tellurium

Lactobacillus reuteri inhibits Staphylococcus aureus growth on Baird-Parker agar. This activity required the presence of tellurite and was not shared with other lactic acid bacteria or an L. reuteri mutant defective in cystine metabolism. Secreted products generated from L. reuteri cystine metabolism and thiols were shown to augment tellurite toxicity.

Topics: Agar; Bacterial Proteins; Bacteriological Techniques; Culture Media; Cystine; Limosilactobacillus reuteri; Staphylococcus aureus; Sulfhydryl Compounds; Tellurium

The utility of CT-SSMAC medium (sorbitol-salicin MacConkey medium containing cefixime and tellurite) for the isolation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from raw vegetables was investigated. The colonies of all E. coli O157:H7 and O157:NM strains tested were colorless and beta-galactosidase-positive on CT-SSMAC medium. Furthermore, the number of colorless colonies on the CT-SSMAC medium was less than that on the sorbitol MacConkey medium containing cefixime and tellurite (CT-SMAC medium) from several raw vegetable samples. All colorless colonies grown on CT-SSMAC medium from raw vegetable samples were beta-galactosidase-negative. These findings suggest that the CT-SSMAC medium is useful for the isolation of E. coli O157:H7 from raw vegetable samples.

Topics: Agar; beta-Galactosidase; Cefixime; Cephalosporins; Colony Count, Microbial; Color; Culture Media; Escherichia coli O157; Tellurium; Vegetables

A new selective and differential agar medium, polymyxin-mannose-tellurite (PMT) agar was devised to differentiate easily colonies of Vibrio cholerae O1 from those of V. cholerae non-O1. The differentiation between colonies of the two vibrios is based on mannose-fermentation. Colonies of V. cholerae O1 on the agar are agglutinated with O1 antiserum of V. cholerae much more easily than those on thiosulfate-citrate-bile salts-sucrose (TCBS) agar.

Topics: Agar; Culture Media; Mannose; Polymyxins; Sensitivity and Specificity; Species Specificity; Tellurium; Vibrio cholerae

A total of 78 strains, representing 21 Vibrio species, were examined by using taurocholate-tellurite-gelatin agar (TTGA) medium and modified TTGA medium containing 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-galactoside (150 micrograms/ml). Modified TTGA medium allowed for simple and direct detection of beta-D-galactosidase (beta-gal) activity. This feature, in conjunction with other differential characteristics of TTGA medium, gave improved differentiation of the vibrios tested. The modified TTGA medium allowed for easy differentiation of Vibrio cholerae (beta-gal+) from Vibrio parahaemolyticus (beta-gal-). The 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-galactoside substrate is inexpensive and very stable. Incorporation into the agar did not affect the performance of TTGA as a differential medium. The assay for beta-gal activity with this substrate was specific and sensitive.

Topics: Agar; beta-Galactosidase; Galactosides; Gelatin; Humans; Hymecromone; Species Specificity; Taurocholic Acid; Tellurium; Vibrio

Observations were made on the value of certain selective media for isolation and identification of staphylococci from milk obtained from individual quarters and farm bulk tanks Aerobic fermentation of mannitol salt was unreliable for identification of coagulase positive strains. Coagulase positive strains tended to clump when grown in tryptose serum broth. Tellurite glycine agar plates were not entirely reliable for the selection of coagulase positive strains. Fibrinogen-tellurite-glycine plates were very useful for the isolation of staphylococci from milk in the presence of other microorganisms and for the simultaneous identification of coagulase positive strains. Plate coagulase tests utilizing fibrinogen tellurite glycine agar corresponded almost perfectly with conventional tube tests. Fibrinolytic strains were not uncommon and were found also among beta hemolysin producing coagulase positive strains.

Topics: Agar; Animals; Coagulants; Coagulase; Cultural Characteristics; Culture Media; Fermentation; Fibrinogen; Fibrinolysin; Food Contamination; Glycine; Hydrolases; Mannitol; Metabolism; Milk; Research; Staphylococcus; Tellurium

Five selective media for the detection and enumeration of coagulase-positive staphylococci were evaluated for their efficiency in the recovery of 17 strains of coagulase-positive staphylococci from foods. They were Staphylococcus Medium 110 (SM-110), tellurite-glycine-agar (TGA), egg-tellurite-glycine-pyruvate-agar (ETGPA), tellurite-egg-agar (TEA), and tellurite-polymyxin-egg yolk-agar (TPEY). Statistical analysis by the rank correlation method of the efficiency with which these media recovered staphylococci from pure 24-hr Brain Heart Infusion cultures revealed the following efficiencies in descending order: (i) TPEY, (ii) ETGPA, (iii) TGA, (iv) TEA, (v) SM-110. Growth of 17 strains of coagulase-negative cocci on these media showed the following approximate descending order of inhibition to these organisms: (i) ETGPA, (ii) TEA, (iii) SM-110, (iv) TGA, (v) TPEY. The appearance of colonies of the various coagulase-negative strains on each medium was studied for the degree to which they could be confused with colonies of coagulase-positive strains. Nineteen food contaminants, including Proteus vulgaris, Bacillus sp., Escherichia coli, Erwinia sp., fecal streptococci, and others, were also studied for similarities in appearance to staphylococci and for ability to grow on the selective media. The influence of five sterile food homogenates (frozen chicken and tuna pies, custard, smoked ham, and raw whole egg) on recovery of 1,500 enterotoxigenic staphylococci (three strains) per milliliter was determined by statistical analysis. Three main effects (culture, media, and food) and three interactions (media with food, food with cultures, and media with culture) were found to be significant. Recovery on TPEY was influenced less by food than the other selective media and showed optimal recovery ability from sterile custard, eggs, and ham. TGA recovered well from sterile chicken pie and custard, SM-110 from sterile custard, and TEA from sterile ham. None of the media was outstanding in recovering staphylococci from tuna pie. The ability of the five selective media to recover 1,500 enterotoxigenic staphylococci (three strains) per ml from three sterile foods in the presence of 10 strains of contaminating bacteria added at the 0, 10(5), and 10(6) levels per milliliter was also studied and analyzed statistically. Only three factors were significant under these conditions-cultures, foods, and the interaction of media with the level of added contamination. Efficiency of

Topics: Agar; Coagulase; Culture Media; Egg Yolk; Eggs; Food Contamination; Glycine; Hydrolases; Meat; Metabolism; Polymyxins; Pyruvates; Research; Staphylococcus; Tellurium

Topics: Agar; Bile Acids and Salts; Cholera; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Gelatin; Humans; Laboratories; Taurocholic Acid; Tellurium

Topics: Agar; Animals; Coagulase; Culture Media; Glycine; Milk; Research; Staphylococcus; Tellurium

Topics: Agar; Fabaceae; Glycine; Micrococcus; Staphylococcus; Staphylococcus aureus; Tellurium

Topics: Agar; Coagulase; Culture Media; Glycine; Micrococcus; Staphylococcus; Staphylococcus aureus; Tellurium

Topics: Agar; Diphtheria; Humans; Raffinose; Replantation; Tellurium