Plating Media for Routine Bacteriology (Primary Purpose)

Question 1

Differential isolation and presumptive
identification of group D streptococci
and enterococci

Answer 1

Bile esculin agar (BEA)

Question 2

Selective and differential for cultivation of
vancomycin-resistant enterococci from
clinical and surveillance
specimen

Answer 2

Bile esculin azide agar with vancomycin

Question 3

Cultivation of nonfastidious microorganisms,
determination of hemolytic
reactions

Answer 3

Blood agar (BA)

Question 4

Isolation of Bordetella pertussis and
Bordetella parapertussis

Answer 4

Bordet-Gengou agar

Question 5

Cultivation of fastidious organisms

Answer 5

Brain-heart infusion agar or broth

Question 6

Enrichment for Legionella spp.
Supports the growth of Francisella and
Nocardia spp.

Answer 6

Buffered charcoal–yeast extract agar (BCYE)

Question 7

Enrichment and selection for
Legionella spp.

Answer 7

Buffered charcoal–yeastextract (BCYE) agar with antibiotics

Question 8

For recovery of B. cepacia from cystic
fibrosis patients

Answer 8

Burkholderia cepacia selective agar

Question 9

Selective for Campylobacter spp.

Answer 9

Campy-blood agar

Question 10

Selective holding medium for recovery of
Campylobacter spp.
Incubated at 4°C for cold-enrichment

Answer 10

Campylobacter thioglycollate broth

Question 11

Improved growth of obligate, slowgrowing
anaerobes

Answer 11

CDC* anaerobe 5% sheep blood agar

Question 12

Selective medium for isolation of
Campylobacter spp

Answer 12

Cefoperazone, vancomycin, amphotericin (CVA) medium

Question 13

Selective for Yersinia spp.; may be useful for isolation of Aeromonas spp.

Answer 13

Cefsulodin-irgasannovobiocin (CIN) agar

Question 14

Cultivation of fastidious microorganisms
such as Haemophilus spp., Brucella
spp. and pathogenic Neisseria spp.

Answer 14

Chocolate agar

Question 15

Designed to optimize growth and differentiate
a specific type of organism;
routinely used in the identification of
yeasts, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus (MRSA), and a variety
of other organisms

Answer 15

Chromogenic media

Question 16

Selective isolation of gram-positive cocci

Answer 16

Columbia colistinnalidixic acid (CNA) agar

Question 17

Isolation of Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Answer 17

Cystine-tellurite blood agar

Question 18

Isolation and differentiation of lactosefermenting
and non–lactosefermenting
enteric bacilli

Answer 18

Eosin methylene blue (EMB) agar (Levine)

Question 19

Selective (enrichment) liquid medium for
enteric pathogens

Answer 19

Gram-negative broth (GN)

Question 20

Differential, selective medium for the isolation
and differentiation of Salmonella
and Shigella spp. from other
gram-negative enteric bacilli

Answer 20

Hektoen enteric (HE) agar

Question 21

Isolation and growth of Corynebacterium
spp

Answer 21

Loeffler medium

Question 22

Isolation and differentiation of lactose
fermenting and non–lactosefermenting
enteric bacilli

Answer 22

MacConkey agar

Question 23

For the selection and differentiation of
E. coli O157:H7 in stool specimens

Answer 23

MacConkey sorbitol agar

Question 24

Selective differentiation of staphylococci

Answer 24

Mannitol salt agar

Question 25

Selective for Neisseria gonorrhoeae; also supports the growth of Ureaplasma urealyticum and some Mycoplasma spp.

Answer 25

New York City (NYC) agar

Question 26

Selective isolation of aerobic grampositive cocci and bacilli and anaerobic gram-positive cocci and gram-negative bacilli

Answer 26

Phenylethyl alcohol (PEA) agar

Question 27

Enrichment and selective medium for isolation of Bordetella pertussis

Answer 27

Regan Lowe

Question 28

Selective for Salmonella and some Shigella spp.

Answer 28

Salmonella-Shigella (SS) agar

Question 29

Nonselective medium for the recovery of anaerobes and aerobes Selective for Campylobacter spp. and Helicobacter spp.

Answer 29

Schaedler agar

Question 30

Enrichment of isolation of Salmonella spp.

Answer 30

Selenite broth

Question 31

Selective for Campylobacter spp.

Answer 31

Skirrow agar

Question 32

Selective for Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus agalactiae

Answer 32

Streptococcal selective agar (SSA)

Question 33

Selective for Salmonella and Shigella spp., except Salmonella enterica Typhi

Answer 33

Tetrathionate broth

Question 34

Selective for N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis. Supports the growth of Francisella and Brucella spp.

Answer 34

Thayer-Martin agar (TM) (modified Thayer Martin [MTM])

Question 35

Supports growth of anaerobes, aerobes, microaerophilic, and fastidious microorganisms

Answer 35

Thioglycollate broth

Question 36

Selective and differential for Vibrio spp.

Answer 36

Thiosulfate citrate–bile salts (TCBS) agar

Question 37

Selection and enrichment for Streptococcus agalactiae in female genital specimens

Answer 37

Todd-Hewitt broth supplemented with antibiotics (LIM)

Question 38

Enrichment broth used for subculturing various bacteria from primary agar plates

Answer 38

Trypticase soy broth (TSB)

Question 39

Isolation and differentiation of Salmonella and Shigella spp. from other gramnegative enteric bacilli

Answer 39

Xylose lysinedeoxycholate (XLD) agar