Bordet-Gengou medium

Definition

Bordet-Gengou medium is a specialized agar used to cultivate Bordetella pertussis, the bacterium responsible for whooping cough. It contains potato, blood, and glycerol to support bacterial growth.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Bordet-Gengou medium is selective for Bordetella pertussis.
2. It contains potato extract, which supplies nutrients essential for bacterial growth.
3. Glycerol acts as an additional carbon source in the medium.
4. Blood provides necessary growth factors and helps visualize hemolytic activity.
5. The medium often includes antibiotics like cephalexin to suppress the growth of contaminating flora.

Review Questions

Related terms

Chocolate Agar:

A nutrient-rich agar used for growing fastidious respiratory bacteria like Haemophilus influenzae.

Regan-Lowe Agar: Another selective medium used for isolating Bordetella pertussis, containing charcoal and horse blood.

Corynebacterium diphtheriae:

A bacterium causing diphtheria, often grown on Löffler's serum slope or cystine-tellurite agar.