The Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol 35, Issue 2 107-110, Copyright © 1991 by Society for General Microbiology

JOURNAL ARTICLE

An improved selective medium for the isolation of Escherichia coli O157

P. A. Chapman, C. A. Siddons, P. M. Zadik and L. Jewes
Public Health Laboratory, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield.

Sorbitol-MacConkey medium has become widely used for the isolation of verotoxigenic (VT+) Escherichia coli O157. However, many organisms other than VT+ E. coli O157, especially other serogroups of E. coli and Proteus spp., may not ferment sorbitol, and thus may be confused initially with VT+ E. coli O157. Rhamnose is not fermented by VT+ E. coli O157, but is by most sorbitol non-fermenting E. coli of other serogroups. Cefixime is a cephalosporin antibiotic that is more active against Proteus spp. than against E. coli. Inclusion of rhamnose and cefixime in sorbitol-MacConkey agar improves its selectivity for the isolation of VT+ E. coli O157.

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