Thiosulphate Citrate Bile Salts Sucrose (TCBS) Agar
TCBS is a selective isolation medium for culture of pathogenic Vibrio spp. from clinical samples. The formulation was developed by Kobayashi, Enomoto, Skazaki and Kuwahara. This medium inhibits most enterobacteriacae for at least 24 hours. For the isolation of Vibrio spp. other than V.cholerae in environmental bacteriology, it is advisable to incubate at the lower temperature range of 20°C – 30°C.
NB - It is not recommended to perform an oxidase test on any presumptive positive isolates directly from TCBS medium.
Alkaline Peptone Water is generally used as an enrichment medium in the isolation of Vibrio spp. from faeces. The high pH of the medium inhibits most enteric organisms for at least 24 hours. The medium is heavily inoculated with faeces and after not more than 8 hours incubation a loopful from the top of the medium is sub cultured onto TCBS Agar. This enrichment medium is also used for food and water testing.
Thiosulphate Citrate Bile Salts Sucrose (TCBS) Agar TCBS is a selective isolation medium for culture of pathogenic Vibrio spp. from clinical samples. The formulation was developed by Kobayashi, Enomoto, Skazaki and Kuwahara. This medium inhibits most enterobacteriacae for at least 24 hours. For the isolation of Vibrio spp. other than V.cholerae in environmental bacteriology, it is advisable to incubate at the lower temperature range of 20°C – 30°C. NB - It is not recommended to perform an oxidase test on any presumptive positive isolates directly from TCBS medium.
