SABORAUD DEXTROSE AGAR + CHLORAMPHENICOL +
GENTAMICIN
CAT Nº: 2059
For the selective cultivation and isolation of yeasts and molds
FORMULA IN g/l
Saboraud Dextrose agar
65,0
Chloramphenicol
0,5
Gentamicin
0,05
Final pH 5.6 ± 0.2 at 25ºC
PREPARATION
Suspend 65,55 grams of medium in 1 liter of distilled water. Mix well and dissolve by heating with frequent
agitation. Boil for one minute until complete dissolution. Sterilize in autoclave at 118ºC for 15 minutes. Cool to 50º,
mix well and dispense into plates. The prepared medium should be stored at 8-15°C. The color is amber, slightly
opalescent.
The dehydrated medium should be homogeneous, free-flowing and beige in color. If there are any physical
changes, discard the medium.
USES
SABOURAUD DEXTROSE AGAR + CHLORAMPHENICOL + GENTAMICIN is a selective medium that can be used for
the cultivation of yeast, molds and aciduric microorganisms. It is used for cultivating pathogenic fungi, particularly
those associated with skin infections (dermatophytes).
Fungal infections have become increasingly more common, especially in the setting of immunocompromised
patient. It is imperative first that the etiologic agent be grown and isolated on culture; only after that can the
organism be identified and the most proper treatment be ensured.
Sabouraud dextrose agar (Cat. 1024), the original formulation or the Emmons modification, without any antibiotic
has historically been used as the standard medium for the primary isolation of fungus and is still widely used. This
medium is a modification enriched with Gentamicin and Chloramphenicol which supports the growth of a wide
range of fungi and, due to its antibiotic content, inhibits the great majority of bacterial contaminants.
Dextrose contained in Saboraud dextrose is the fermentable carbohydrate providing carbon and energy. Peptone
mixture provides nitrogen, vitamins, minerals and amino acids essential for growth. Bacteriological agar is the
solidifying agent. The high dextrose concentration and acidic pH make this medium selective for fungi.
Chloramphenicol is an antibiotic which aids in isolating pathogenic fungi from heavily contaminated material, as it
inhibits most contaminating bacteria. It is a recommended antibiotic for use with media due to its heat stability and
wide bacterial spectrum. Gentamicin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic, used to treat many types
of bacterial infections by inhibiting its growth.
MICROBIOLOGICAL TEST
The following results were obtained in the performance of the medium from type cultures after incubation at a
temperature of 20-25 ± 2ºC less than 5 days.
Microorganisms
Growth
Candida albicans ATCC 10231
Good
Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 9763
Good
Aspergillus brasiliensis ATCC16404
Good
Penicillium chrysogenum ATCC 9478
Good
Trichophyton mentagrophytes ATCC 24957
Good
*Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923
Inhibited
*Escherichia coli ATCC 25922
Inhibited
*Incubate at 35 ± 2ºC for 48 hours
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Murray, P.R., E.J. Baron, J.H. Jorgensen, M.A. Pfaller, and R. H. Yolken (ed.). 2003. Manual of clinical microbiology, 8th ed. American Society
for Microbiology, Washington, D.C
Scognamiglio, T., Pramod , R. Davise G., Larone H. Comparison of Inhibitory Mold Agar to Sabouraud Dextrose Agar as a Primary Medium for
Isolation of Fungi J Clin Microbiol. 2010 May; 48(5): 1924–1925
Brun, S., J. P. Bouchara, A. Bocquel, A. M. Basile, N. Contet-Audonneau, and D. Chabasse. 2001. Evaluation of five commercial Sabouraud
gentamicin-chloramphenicol agar media.Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 20:718-723.
Gray, L. D., and G. D. Roberts. 1988. Laboratory diagnosis of systemic fungal diseases. Infect. Dis. Clin. North Am. 2:779-803
Merz WG, Sandford G, Evans GL. Clinical evaluation of the addition of gentamicin to commercially prepared mycological media J Clin
Microbiol. 1976 May;3(5):496-500.
STORAGE
25ºC
Once opened keep powdered medium closed to avoid hydration.
2ºC