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Use of colistin and sorbitol for better isolation of Serratia marcescens in clinical samples

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

G. M Grasso
Affiliation:
Institute of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, 2nd Medical School, University of Naples, via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
M. M D'errico
Affiliation:
Institute of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, 2nd Medical School, University of Naples, via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
F Schioppa
Affiliation:
Institute of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, 2nd Medical School, University of Naples, via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
F Romano
Affiliation:
Institute of Hygiene, Medical School, University of Reggio Calabria, via T. Campanella, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
D Montanaro
Affiliation:
Institute of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, 2nd Medical School, University of Naples, via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
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A comparison was made of different culture media and procedures for detection of Serratia marcescens from faecal, pharyngeal and ocular swabs collected from 213 neonates. MacConkey agar and MacConkey agar with sorbitol (1%) and/or colistin (200 i.u./ml) were used both for primary isolation and after enrichment using Mossel Enterobacteriaceae broth with colistin (200 i.u./ml). The use of MacConkey agar supplemented with colistin for primary isolation improved considerably the isolation rate of S. marcescens from faecal swabs but not from pharyngeal swabs; the number of ocular isolations were insufficient to demonstrate differences between procedures. Moreover the enrichment procedures consistently increased the number of S. marcescens isolates especially from pharyngeal and ocular swabs. Use of sorbitol made detection of S'. marcescens from clinical specimens easier and time– and cost–efficient.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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