Inositol as a selective substrate for the growth of Klebsiellae and Serratiae

A synthetic basal salts medium containing inositol as the sole source for carbon and energy and bromothymol blue as pH indicator, selectively supports the growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Serratia spp. On this medium incubated at 37 degrees C for 24 hr, all cultures of Kl. pneumoniae, Serratia liquefaciens and S. marcescens form yellow colonies. The medium may be used selectively for the primary isolation of the aforementioned bacteria from faeces and as a differential medium for their isolation from saliva and urine.