BacterPlate™ Blood Agar

Ready-to-use medium on 90mm plates for culturing and differentiating hemolytic phenotypes α, β, and ɤ.
Code: 05004
Packaging: 10 plates/ box or as per customer request.
Storage Conditions: 2–8°C.
Transportation: Ambient temperature.
Shelf Life: 04 months from the date of manufacture.

INTENDED USE

BacterPlate™ Blood Agar is a versatile culture medium widely utilized for the cultivation and isolation of a broad range of microorganisms. It plays a critical role in in vitro diagnostics and microbiological quality control testing. Furthermore, it enables the differentiation of bacterial species based on hemolytic reactions (alpha, beta, and gamma hemolysis).
The typical composition of base medium (Columbia Agar) corresponds to that defined in European (EP), United States (UP) and Japanese (JP) Pharmacopeias.
The packaging with semi-permeable Cellophane film helps balance the humidity of the environment during storage.

PRINCIPLE

Peptones included in the composition of the medium favor the excellent growth of colonies.
Yeast extract is a source of vitamin B complex.
Starch is a detoxifying agent and also an energy source.
Defibrinated sheep blood provides X factor (heme), essential for the growth of many fastidious bacteria, and allows the detection of hemolytic reactions.

Allow the agar plates to reach room temperature. Dry the plates in an incubator by slightly opening the lid.
Inoculate in order to obtain isolated colonies.
Incubate at 37 °C for 24 to 48 hours in optimal conditions for the culture of the inoculated germs.

RESULTS

Observe the bacterial growth.

Beta hemolysis
- Streptococci belonging to Lancefield group A appear as small, grey colonies, translucid or opaque, surrounded by a zone of beta hemolysis. Other bacteria may present the same type of hemolysis: Listeria, hemolytic Staphylococci, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas.
- Staphylococci appear as opaque, yellow-gold or white colonies, with or without type β hemolysis zones.
- Listeria present small zones of beta hemolysis.
- Bacillus cereus form a clear zone surrounding the colonies.
Alpha hemolysis
- Pneumococci appear as flat, shiny, grey and occasionally mucoid colonies surrounded by a zone of narrow, greenish hemolysis referred to as alpha hemolysis.
CAMP Factor
- Group B Streptococci produce an extracellular, thermoresistant substance (CAMP Factor) which provokes a triangle of total hemolysis in a zone of incomplete staphylococcal hemolysis, at the junction of the two cultures.

BacterLab ensures the quality of each product batch by testing with ATCC reference strains.

Reference strains	Incubation Conditions	Standard (P_R)
S. pneumonia ATCC 49619	Incubate for 24 – 48 hours, at 35 – 37°C, with inoculum ≤ 10³ – 10⁴ CFU/ mL	Good growth, α hemolysis.
S. pyogenes ATCC 19615		Good growth, hemolysis.
E. faecalis ATCC 29212		Good growth, ɤ hemolysis.