The Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol 13, Issue 2 257-263, Copyright © 1980 by Society for General Microbiology
Prolonged primary incubation in the isolation of anaerobic bacteria from clinical specimens
M. W. Wren
The value of prolonged primary anaerobic incubation for the isolation of
anaerobic bacteria from clinical material was assessed by comparison of two
incubation systems. Continuous incubation of primary anaerobic plates for
48 h was superior to conventional methods in that more anaerobes were
isolated. The results indicate that in some cases prolonged incubation may
be the only method of achieving the correct bacteriological diagnosis,
particularly when relatively oxygen-sensitive strains are involved or when
organisms may be damaged by exposure to oxygen during transport. Use of
extended primary incubation provides a clearer picture of the microbial
flora of the original lesion and reveals that some anaerobic genera may be
more commonly involved than is at present recognised.
