Selenium-enriched medium for Legionella pneumophila

We found that sodium selenate added to F-G cysteine iron agar enhanced the growth of Legionella pneumophila (Philadelphia 1 strain), with visible colonies at 18 h of incubation. The optimum enhancement of growth was found to occur at a concentration of 5 to 10 microgram of selenium per ml as sodium selenate; enhanced growth, up to 22 times the number of colonies on F-G cysteine iron agar without selenate, was observed at 36 h.