Thiosulfate-citrate-bile salts-sucrose agar and its selectivity for clinical and marine vibrio organisms

Recently documented Vibrio cholerae and non-cholera vibrio infections in Florida and other American waters led to a study to determine the selectivity of thiosulfate-citrate-bile salts-sucrose media (TCBS). Thirty-one species with 188 different strains of clinical, marine, and stock origin were examined on the TCBS media. One hundred seventy-seven of the 188 strains grew. Nine species had the typical yellow colony appearance that might be confused with V. cholerae and nine species were green, potentially confused with V. parahemolyticus or V. vulnificus. Old versus new media were compared with mixed results. Consistent with earlier studies, TCBS grew vibrios well with distinctive morphology. However, its limited selectivity needs be more widely appreciated in clinical laboratories. Its widespread use is advocated to detect the vibrio infections associated with seafood ingestion or wounds exposed to seawater.