Description

INTENDED USE

SS Agar and Salmonella Shigella Agar are moderately selective and differential media for the isolation of pathogenic enteric bacilli, especially those belonging to the genus Salmonella. This formulation is not recommended for the primary isolation of Shigella.

SUMMARY AND EXPLANATION

The culture media that have been developed for the selection and differentiation of enteric microorganisms from clinical and nonclinical materials inhibit the growth of gram-positive species to a varying degree due to the presence of either pure bile salts, mixtures of bile salts or dyes. SS Agar and Salmonella Shigella Agar are examples of media used in the plating of samples for the detection of enteric pathogens that contain bile salt mixtures. This formulation is essentially a modification of the Desoxycholate-Citrate Agar described by Leifson.

PRINCIPLE

SS Agar and Salmonella Shigella Agar are designated as moderately selective media based upon the degree of inhibition of gram-positive microorganisms that they inhibit due to their content of bile salts, brilliant green and citrates. Differentiation of enteric organisms is achieved by the incorporation of lactose in the medium. Organisms that ferment lactose produce acid which, in the presence of the neutral red indicator, results in the formation of red colonies. Lactose nonfermenters form colorless colonies. The latter group contains the majority of the intestinal pathogens, including Salmonella and Shigella. The sodium thiosulfate and ferric citrate enable the detection of hydrogen sulfide production as evidenced by colonies with black centers.