Specimen

Bacteria

Medium

Abscess (also
Lesion, Wound,
Pustule, Ulcer)

Staphylo
coccus
aureus
Streptococcus
pyogenes

Blood or Bone
Marrow Aspirate

Salmonella enterica
Escherichia coli
Streptococcus
pyogenes
Staphylococcus
aureus
Staphylococcus
epidermidis
Streptococcus
pneumonia
Listeria
monocytogenes
Klebsiella pneumonia
Pseudomonas
aeruginosa
Borrelia spp.
Staphylo
coccus
areus
Staphylo
coccus
epider
midis
Entereco
ccus
Strep
viridan
s
Neisseria
meningitides
Haemophilus
influenza
Streptococcus
pneumonia
Streptococcus
agalactiae
Listeria
monocytoge
nes
Staphylococcu
s areus
Streptococcus
pneumonia
Haemophilus
influenza
Moraxella
catarrhalis
Staphyloccus
aureus
Pseudomonas
aeruginosa

Body Fluids
Amniotic
Abdominal,
ascites
(peritoneal) bile,
joint (synovial)
pericardial,pleur
al

Cerebrospinal
Fluid

Ear

Blood Agar
Chocolate Agar
MacConkey Agar
Pyrrolidonyl
Arylamidase
Mannitol Salt
phenol
Blood Culture
Bottles
Chocolate Agar
Blood Agar
Brucella Blood Agar

Incubation
Temperature
35-37C
35-37C
35-37C
35-37C
35-37C

Length of
Incubation
18-24hrs

37C

3-5 days
But 3 days is
enough to
grow clinically
significant
bacterias

Blood Culture Bottle

Blood Agar
Chocolate Agar
Thioglycollate broth
MacConkey
Agar

37C

18-24hrs

Blood Agar
Chocolate Agar
Thioglycollae

37C

<24hrs

Blood Agar
Chocolate Agar
Thioglycollate broth
Brucella Blood Agar
MacConkey Agar

35-37C

24hrs

Eye
Conjunctiva

GI Tract
Gastric Aspirate

Gastric Biopsy

Rectal Swab

Staphylococcus
aureus
Haemophilus
influenza
Streptococcus
pneumonia
Moraxella catarrhalis
Pseudomonas
aeruginosa
Helicobacter
pylori
Salmonella spp.
Shigella spp.
Clostridium
spp.
Staphylococcus
areus
E.coli
Bacillus
anthracis
Vibrio cholera
Campylobacter
jejuni
Bacteroides
fragilis

Blood Agar
Chocolate Agar
MacConkey

35-37C
5-10% Co2
at35-37C
5-10% Co2
at35-37C

24hrs

Blood Agar
Chocolate Agar
MacConkey
Hektoen Enteric
Agar
Colistin Nalidixic
Agar
EB

35C 2C
35C 2C in a
Co2

24hrs

Helicobacter pylori
Staphylococcu
s areus

Skirrows Agar
Blood Agar
Brucella
Blood Agar
Blood Agar
MacConkey Agar
Hektoen Enteric
Agar
XLD agar
EB
Campy Agar
Blood Agar
MacConkey Agar
XLD agar
Hektoen Enteric
Agar
Campy
Blood Agar
Chocolate Agar
MacConkey
Thayer-Martin Agar

35C 2C
35C 2C in a
Co2

24hrs

4C

48hrs

4C

72hrs

35C-37C
35C-37C
35C-37C
35C-37C

24hrs

Blood Agar
Chocolate Agar
MacConkey Agar
ThayerMartin Agar

35C

24hrs

Blood Agar

35C

24hrs

Neisseria
gonorrhoeae

Stool Culture

Clostridium difficile
E.coli
Shigella
Salmonella
Yersinia

Genital Tract
Female
Bartholin Cyst

Escherichia coli
Neisseria
gonorrhoeae
Chlamydia
trachomatis
Staphylococcu
s spp. &
Streptococcus
spp.
Neisseria
gonorrhoeae
Chlamydia
trachomatis
Genital herpes
Trichomonas
vaginalis
Chlamydia

Cervix

Endometrium

trachomatis
Neisseria
gonorrhoeae
Vagina

Male
Prostate

Urethra

Hair, Nails, or
Skin Scrapings
(for fungal
culture)

Neisseria
gonorrhoeae
Chlamydia
Trichomonas
vaginalis
Streptococcus
agalactiae
Lactobacilli
Triponema pallidum
Chlamydia
trachomatis
Eschericia coli
Pseudomonas
aeruginosa

Respiratory
Tract(lungs)
Lower
BAL, BB,
BW,Sputum,
Tracheal
Aspirate
(suction)

Upper
Nasopharynx
Nose

Pharynx (throat)

Urine

Staphylococcus
epidermidis
E.coli
Staphylococcus
areus
Staphylococcus
epidermidis
Streptococcus
pyogenes
Streptococcus
pneumonia
Streptococcus
agalactiae
Clostridium
spp.
Bacillus
anthracis
Klebsheilla
pneumonia
Bacteroides
fragilis
Chlamydia
pneumonia
Mycoplasma
pneumoniae
Staphylococcus
areus

Chocolate Agar
MacConkey Agar
ThayerMartin Agar
Blood Agar
ThayerMartin

35C

24hrs

Blood Agar
Chocolate Agar
MacConkey Agar
Thayer-Martin Agar
CNA Agar
Blood Agar
Chocolate Agar
Thayer-Martin Agar
SDA
IMAcg
SDAcg

35C

24hrs

37C

24hrs

35C-37C

24hrs

Blood Agar
Chocolate Agar
MacConkey Agar
CNA Agar

4C

24hrs

35C-357C

24hrs

35-37C

24hrs

4C

24hrs

Blood Agar
Chocolate Agar
Chromogenic Agar
Streptococcus
Blood Agar
pyogenes
Salmonella-Shigella
Agar
Staphylococcus Blood Agar
areus
MacConkey
Staphylococcus
Agar
epidermidis
Staphylococcus
saprophyticus
Enterococcus
Klebsiella
pneumonia

Indwelling
Catheter

E.coli
Pseudomonas
aeroginosa
Staphylococcus
epidermidis
E.coli

Blood Agar
MacConkey
Agar

4C

24hrs