Effect of Blood Agar from Different Animal Blood on Growth Rates and Morphology of Common Pathogenic Bacteria
Author(s)
Tenny O. Egwuatu1,
Folasade T. Ogunsola2,
Isi M. Okodugha2,
Bamiro Jide2,
Damilola G. Arewa2,
O. A. Osinupebi2
Affiliation(s)
1 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. 2 Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
1 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. 2 Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
Sheep and horse blood are the most commonly used blood for the isolation of microorganisms from human tissue and fluids. However, in many developing countries such as Nigeria, expired human blood from blood banks is still used despite the risk of exposure to HIV and other blood-borne infections, because it is easy to obtain. Blood agar made from blood of rams (similar to sheep), cows, chickens and goats, which are very common in Nigeria, were therefore evaluated. The isolation rates, colony size and morphology as well as haemolytic characteristics of common hospital pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus spp, were tested on blood agar prepared from the different animal blood types. All reactions were observed at 24 hrs and 48 hrs respectively. Good growth was achieved by all isolates on rabbit, sheep and chicken blood agar though the best growth was achieved on ram blood agar but there was no significant variation in their morphology. There were differences in their abilities to distinguish haemolytic patterns. Beta Haemolytic Streptococci remained the same on all the blood agar, but the haemolysis of Staphylococci aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa varied on different media while haemolysis was least consistent on chicken and cow blood agar. Ram blood agar gave the best reactions in terms of good growth rates of organisms, good morphological characterization as well as good haemolytic reactions. Besides, it is easily available and large quantities of blood can be obtained. Despite the good qualities of ram blood agar observed in this study, however, there is a need for it to be tested further for its ability to support more fastidious organisms.
Sheep and horse blood are the most commonly used blood for the isolation of microorganisms from human tissue and fluids. However, in many developing countries such as Nigeria, expired human blood from blood banks is still used despite the risk of exposure to HIV and other blood-borne infections, because it is easy to obtain. Blood agar made from blood of rams (similar to sheep), cows, chickens and goats, which are very common in Nigeria, were therefore evaluated. The isolation rates, colony size and morphology as well as haemolytic characteristics of common hospital pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus spp, were tested on blood agar prepared from the different animal blood types. All reactions were observed at 24 hrs and 48 hrs respectively. Good growth was achieved by all isolates on rabbit, sheep and chicken blood agar though the best growth was achieved on ram blood agar but there was no significant variation in their morphology. There were differences in their abilities to distinguish haemolytic patterns. Beta Haemolytic Streptococci remained the same on all the blood agar, but the haemolysis of Staphylococci aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa varied on different media while haemolysis was least consistent on chicken and cow blood agar. Ram blood agar gave the best reactions in terms of good growth rates of organisms, good morphological characterization as well as good haemolytic reactions. Besides, it is easily available and large quantities of blood can be obtained. Despite the good qualities of ram blood agar observed in this study, however, there is a need for it to be tested further for its ability to support more fastidious organisms.
Cite this paper
Egwuatu, T. , Ogunsola, F. , Okodugha, I. , Jide, B. , Arewa, D. and Osinupebi, O. (2014) Effect of Blood Agar from Different Animal Blood on Growth Rates and Morphology of Common Pathogenic Bacteria. Advances in Microbiology, 4, 1237-1241. doi: 10.4236/aim.2014.416133.
Egwuatu, T. , Ogunsola, F. , Okodugha, I. , Jide, B. , Arewa, D. and Osinupebi, O. (2014) Effect of Blood Agar from Different Animal Blood on Growth Rates and Morphology of Common Pathogenic Bacteria. Advances in Microbiology, 4, 1237-1241. doi: 10.4236/aim.2014.416133.
References
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511527104 [10] Miles, A.A., Irwin, J.O. and Mistra, S.S. (1938) The Estimation of the Bactericidal Power of the Blood. Journal of Hygiene, 38, 732-749. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S002217240001158X [11] Holt, J.G., Kreig, N.R., Sneath, P.H.A., Staley, J.T. and Williams, S.T., Eds. (1994) Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology. 9th Edition, Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia. [12] Anand, C.R., Gordon, A., Shaw, H., Fonseca, K. and Olsen, M. (2000) Pig and Goat Blood as Substitutes for Sheep Blood in Blood Supplemented Agar Media. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 38, 591-594. [13] Rusell, F.M., Biribo, S.S.N., Selvaraj, G., Mulhollad, E., Carapetis, J.R., et al. (2006) As a Bacterial Culture Medium, Citrated Sheep Blood Is a Practical Alternative to Citrated Human Blood Agar in Laboratories of Developing Countries. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 44, 3346-3351.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JCM.02631-05 [14] Efem, S.E., Aja, A. and Inyang, U. (1986) Surgical Wound Infection Rate in Calabar, University Teaching Hospital. West Africa Journal of Medicine, 5, 61-68.
[1] Bridson, E.Y. (1990) Media in Microbiology. Reviews in Medical Microbiology, 1, 1-9. [2] Greenwood, D., Slack, R.C.B. and Peutherer, J.F. (1997) Medical Microbiology: A Guide to Microbial Infections: Pathogenesis, Immunity, Laboratory Diagnosis and Control. 15th Edition, Churchill Livingstone, London. [3] Davis, D., Dulbeco, L., Eisen, N.H. and Ginsberg, S.H. (1980) Microbiology Including Immunology and Molecular Genetics. Harper International Edition, Harper & Row, New York. [4] Philips, E. and Nash, P. (1985) Culture Media. In: Leinnet, E.H., Balows, A., Hauster Jr., W.J. and Shadony, H.D., Eds., Manual of Clinical Microbiology, 6th Edition, American Society of Microbiology, Washington DC, 1051-1092. [5] Marmion, B.P. and Tonkin, R.W. (1972) Control of Hepatitis in Dialysis Units. British Medical Bulletin, 28, 169-179. [6] Nash, P. and Krent, M.M. (1991) Culture Media. In: Balows, A., Hauster Jr., W.J. and Herman, K.L., Eds., Manual of Clinical Microbiology, 5th Edition, American Society of Microbiology, Washington DC, 1268. [7] Johnson, D.R., Kaplan, E.L., Sramek, J., Bicova, R., Haylicek, J., Havilockova, H., Moliova, J. and Kriz, P. (1996) Laboratory Diagnosis of Group A Streptococcal Infections. World Health Organization, Geneva. [8] Hoppe, J.E. and Schlangenhauf, M. (1989) Comparison of Three Kinds of Blood and Two Incubation Atmospheres for Cultivation of Bordetella pertussis on Charcoal Agar. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 27, 2115-2117. [9] Barrow, G.I. and Feltham, R.K.A., Eds. (1993) Cowan and Steel’s Manual for Identification of Medical Bacteria. 3rd Edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511527104 [10] Miles, A.A., Irwin, J.O. and Mistra, S.S. (1938) The Estimation of the Bactericidal Power of the Blood. Journal of Hygiene, 38, 732-749. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S002217240001158X [11] Holt, J.G., Kreig, N.R., Sneath, P.H.A., Staley, J.T. and Williams, S.T., Eds. (1994) Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology. 9th Edition, Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia. [12] Anand, C.R., Gordon, A., Shaw, H., Fonseca, K. and Olsen, M. (2000) Pig and Goat Blood as Substitutes for Sheep Blood in Blood Supplemented Agar Media. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 38, 591-594. [13] Rusell, F.M., Biribo, S.S.N., Selvaraj, G., Mulhollad, E., Carapetis, J.R., et al. (2006) As a Bacterial Culture Medium, Citrated Sheep Blood Is a Practical Alternative to Citrated Human Blood Agar in Laboratories of Developing Countries. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 44, 3346-3351.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JCM.02631-05 [14] Efem, S.E., Aja, A. and Inyang, U. (1986) Surgical Wound Infection Rate in Calabar, University Teaching Hospital. West Africa Journal of Medicine, 5, 61-68.