Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 1986 Jan;39(1):93–98. doi: 10.1136/jcp.39.1.93

Survival of gram positive anaerobic cocci on swabs and their isolation from the mouth and vagina.

G L Smith, C G Cumming, P W Ross
PMCID: PMC499620  PMID: 3950035

Abstract

The survival of Gram positive anaerobic cocci on plain cotton wool and albumin coated swabs held in various transport media was investigated. Results suggested that in most cases Amies', Stuart's and VMGII media do not offer any more protection to the bacteria than storing swabs dry in their containers. A technique was developed for the isolation and identification of Gram positive anaerobic cocci from the mouth and vagina, incorporating bicozamycin in the medium as a selective agent. Few strains were recovered from the oral cavity, but larger numbers were isolated from the vagina. Using a minimum number of antibiotic sensitivity and biochemical tests, including analysis of end products by gas-liquid chromatography, most isolates were identified to species level.

Full text

PDF
93

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Amies C. R. A modified formula for the preparation of Stuart's Transport Medium. Can J Public Health. 1967 Jul;58(7):296–300. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Barry A. L., Fay G. D., Sauer R. L. Efficiency of a transport medium for the recovery of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria from applicator swabs. Appl Microbiol. 1972 Jul;24(1):31–33. doi: 10.1128/am.24.1.31-33.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Collee J. G., Watt B., Brown R., Johnstone S. The recovery of anaerobic bacteria from swabs. J Hyg (Lond) 1974 Jun;72(3):339–347. doi: 10.1017/s0022172400023561. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Collee J. G., Watt B., Fowler E. B., Brown R. An evaluation of the Gaspak system in the culture of anaerobic bacteria. J Appl Bacteriol. 1972 Mar;35(1):71–82. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1972.tb03675.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cumming C. G., Ross P. W. Evaluation of bacteriological swabs and transport media in the recovery of group B streptococci on laboratory media. J Clin Pathol. 1979 Oct;32(10):1066–1069. doi: 10.1136/jcp.32.10.1066. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Ellner P. D., Ellner C. J. Survival of bacteria on swabs. J Bacteriol. 1966 Feb;91(2):905–906. doi: 10.1128/jb.91.2.905-906.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Evaldson G., Heimdahl A., Kager L., Nord C. E. The normal human anaerobic microflora. Scand J Infect Dis Suppl. 1982;35:9–15. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gorbach S. L., Bartlett J. G. Anaerobic infections. 1. N Engl J Med. 1974 May 23;290(21):1177–1184. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197405232902106. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gästrin B., Kallings L. O., Marcetic A. The survival time for different bacteria in various transport media. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand. 1968;74(3):371–380. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1968.tb03490.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Holbrook W. P., Ogston S. A., Ross P. W. A method for the isolation of Bacteroides melaninogenicus from the human mouth. J Med Microbiol. 1978 May;11(2):203–207. doi: 10.1099/00222615-11-2-203. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Ohm M. J., Galask R. P. Bacterial flora of the cervix from 100 prehysterectomy patients. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1975 Jul 15;122(6):683–687. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(75)90571-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Paradinas F. J., Boxer G., Bagshawe K. D. Distribution of the Ca (Oxford) antigen in lung neoplasms and non-neoplastic lung tissues. J Clin Pathol. 1984 Jan;37(1):1–5. doi: 10.1136/jcp.37.1.1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Ribi E., Cantrell J. L., Takayama K., Qureshi N., Peterson J., Ribi H. O. Lipid A and immunotherapy. Rev Infect Dis. 1984 Jul-Aug;6(4):567–572. doi: 10.1093/clinids/6.4.567. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Ross P. W. The isolation of Streptococcus pyogenes from throat swabs. J Med Microbiol. 1977 Feb;10(1):69–76. doi: 10.1099/00222615-10-1-69. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. STUART R. D., TOSHACH S. R., PATSULA T. M. The problem of transport of specimens for culture of Gonococci. Can J Public Health. 1954 Feb;45(2):73–83. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Socransky S. S., Manganiello S. D. The oral microbiota of man from birth to senility. J Periodontol. 1971 Aug;42(8):485–496. doi: 10.1902/jop.1971.42.8.485. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Spiegel C. A., Amsel R., Eschenbach D., Schoenknecht F., Holmes K. K. Anaerobic bacteria in nonspecific vaginitis. N Engl J Med. 1980 Sep 11;303(11):601–607. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198009113031102. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Syed S. A., Loesche W. J. Survival of human dental plaque flora in various transport media. Appl Microbiol. 1972 Oct;24(4):638–644. doi: 10.1128/am.24.4.638-644.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Taylor E., Blackwell A. L., Barlow D., Phillips I. Gardnerella vaginalis, anaerobes, and vaginal discharge. Lancet. 1982 Jun 19;1(8286):1376–1379. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(82)92498-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Watt B., Brown F. V. A selective agent for anaerobic cocci. J Clin Pathol. 1983 May;36(5):605–606. doi: 10.1136/jcp.36.5.605. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Watt B., Jack E. P. What are anaerobic cocci? J Med Microbiol. 1977 Nov;10(4):461–468. doi: 10.1099/00222615-10-4-461. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Watt B. The recovery of clinically important anaerobes on solid media. J Med Microbiol. 1972 May;5(2):211–218. doi: 10.1099/00222615-5-2-211. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Williams B. L., Pantalone R. M., Sherris J. C. Subgingival microflora and periodontitis. J Periodontal Res. 1976 Feb;11(1):1–18. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1976.tb00045.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Wren M. W., Eldon C. P., Dakin G. H. Novobiocin and the differentiation of peptococci and peptostreptococci. J Clin Pathol. 1977 Jul;30(7):620–622. doi: 10.1136/jcp.30.7.620. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Pathology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES