Culture

• Culture


  The growth or crop of microorganisms obtained in a culture after its incubation period
• Culture medium


  Any material where microorganisms may thrive for their nourishment & reproduction
• Incubation Period


  The time needed for the microorganisms to adapt, grow & multiply in its new environment
• Types of Culture


  • Contaminate Culture
  • Mixed Culture
  • Pure Culture
• Inoculum


  The fish-out colony hanging on the wire loop, cotton swabs etc. that is ready for transfer to another culture medium for cultivation and further isolation
• Colony


  Group of microorganisms growing together characteristically in a culture medium
• Types of Culture Media According to Physical State

  • Solid/ semisolid
  • Liquid Media
• Solid/ semisolid media


  • With agar as solidifying agent
  • Example: Nutrient Agar, BAP, EMB
• Liquid Media


  • Without agar
  • Example: Nutrient Broth- forms the basis of media for pathologic bacteria
• Types of Culture Media According to use

  • Simple media
  • Enrich media
  • Selective media
  • Differential media
  • Transport media
• Simple Media


  • Used as a base in making of more complex media
  • With beef extract, Peptone, agar, water
  • Example: Nutrient Agar
• Enriched Media


  • With special added nutrient to promote growth
  • Example: Blood Agar Plate (BAP), Chocolate Agar Plate (CAP), Selenite F. Broth
• Selective media


  • Discourage the growth of other microorganism
  • Example: Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA), Bordet-Gengau medium, Cetrimide Agar, Thayer- Martin Agar, Lowenstein- Jensen Medium, Saboraud's Dextrose Agar (SDA), Mueller- Hilton Agar (MHA)
• Differential Media


  • Example: Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB), Mac Conkey Agar (MCA), Salmonella- Shigella Agar (SSA)
• Transport Media


  • Protect pathogens present in the specimen
  • Example: Stuart's Transport Medium, Cetrimide Agar, Thayer- Martin Agar, Lowenstein- Jensen Medium (LJ Medium), Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA), Bordet- Gengou Medium, Blood Agar Plate (BAP), Chocolate Agar Plate (CAP), Selenite F Broth