agar and Fusobacterium-Infections

Fusobacterium nucleatum was found in patients with empyema or pulmonary abscess, using paromomycin-vancomycin Brucella HK agar. In vitro examination revealed that growth of the strains differed significantly in different media. Clinicians should be aware that suboptimal F. nucleatum cultivation methods may result in an underestimation of its frequency.

Topics: Agar; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteriological Techniques; Brucella; Culture Media; Empyema; Fusobacterium Infections; Fusobacterium nucleatum; Humans; Lung Abscess; Male; Middle Aged; Paromomycin; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Vancomycin

Within the last decade, Fusobacterium necrophorum subsp. funduliforme has been considered a clinically important pathogen causing pharyngitis especially in adolescents and young adults. F. necrophorum pharyngitis can progress into Lemierre's syndrome, which is a severe and life-threatening infection. However, throat swabs are not cultured anaerobically in the routine and even if cultured anaerobically, it can be difficult to identify F. necrophorum from the normal flora of the throat. F. necrophorum is therefore often overlooked as the cause of pharyngitis. In our laboratory, a F. necrophorum selective agar has been developed containing vancomycin and nalidixin, which inhibit the growth of most Gram-positive and many Gram-negative bacteria, respectively. β-haemolysis of horse blood can be detected, which further facilitates the detection and identification of F. necrophorum. The F. necrophorum selective agar was evaluated against a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay and shown to have a significantly higher sensitivity for detecting F. necrophorum than the anaerobic agar commonly used in Denmark. Furthermore, the F. necrophorum selective agar does not require experienced laboratory technicians, require fewer subcultures, is probably less expensive and is faster to perform than other culture methods.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Agar; Chi-Square Distribution; Child; Child, Preschool; DNA, Bacterial; Fusobacterium Infections; Fusobacterium necrophorum; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Infant; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Microbiological Techniques; Middle Aged; Pharyngitis; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Sensitivity and Specificity; Young Adult

Fusobacterium egg yolk agar is a new medium selective for Fusobacterium species and differential for Fusobacterium necrophorum. The medium is a Brucella Agar base (Difco Laboratories, Detroit, Mich.) containing vancomycin, neomycin, josamycin, and egg yolk. All species of fusobacteria grew with only minimal inhibition. The mean log difference in counts between Fusobacterium egg yolk agar and control media for 30 strains of seven species of fusobacteria was 0.1922. F. necrophorum typically showed a strong lipase reaction. Most other organisms were significantly inhibited by the medium.

Topics: Agar; Egg Yolk; Female; Fusobacterium; Fusobacterium Infections; Fusobacterium necrophorum; Humans; Pharyngitis; Pharynx; Species Specificity

Topics: Agar; Animals; Bacteriological Techniques; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Culture Media; Egg Yolk; Female; Fusobacterium; Fusobacterium Infections; Liver Abscess

Topics: Agar; Agriculture; Animal Diseases; Animals; Biological Products; Bronchopneumonia; Fusobacterium Infections; Reindeer; USSR