Effect of media on transport and recovery of anaerobic bacteria

Clinical specimens containing anaerobic bacteria require special handling to enable satisfactory recovery of these important pathogens. Problems relating to inadvertently exposing the bacteria to oxygen can arise at the time of specimen collection, during transport, and during the culture setup process. A considerable variety of transport and culture materials exists for the clinical laboratory, yet not much has been written recently on the optimal utilization of culture media or the maintenance of anaerobiasis to maximize recovery of strict anaerobic bacteria. Comparative studies are needed to define how clinical laboratories can carry out cost-efficient specimen processing for recovery of these pathogens that is timely and medically relevant.