Publications on the aerotolerance of Campylobacter jejuni/coli refer to Mueller Hinton broth and Mueller Hinton agar as the main test media. To obtain fresh cultures from frozen strains, we have found that nutrient-rich media, such as Brucella blood agar, work better.
How does the use of cultures from blood media affect the preparation of the suspension for aerotolerance testing? It is my understanding that aerotolerant strains are resistant and therefore the test medium in which the cultures are tested is nutrient poor. Publications also state that Mueller Hinton agar is used to determine whether cultures have survived shaking.
Can the agar be supplemented with blood to aid growth?
Campylobacter spp. are microaerophilic bacteria, meaning they require reduced oxygen levels (typically 3–5% O₂) and increased carbon dioxide (about 10%) for optimal growth. They cannot grow under atmospheric oxygen levels (21% O₂) and are generally sensitive to high oxygen concentrations.
Some species, such as Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli, are particularly oxygen-sensitive but can survive in oxygenated environments for short periods by employing oxidative stress defense mechanisms. Certain strains exhibit aero-tolerance, meaning they can survive longer under oxygen exposure, though they do not actively grow in such conditions.
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