Table 2 Agar media, target pathogens and incubation protocols for endometrial cultures in the PP Sepsis Study

Chocolate agar

Gram positive and negative aerobes and facultative anaerobes; fastidious bacteria (eg Haemophilus spp)

37 °C in 5–10 % CO₂ for 48 h

Oxoid^a/Isovitalex BD^b

5 % sheep blood agar

Gram positive and negative aerobes and facultative anaerobes, yeasts

37 °C in 5–10 % CO2 for 48 h

Oxoid

Maconkey agar

Fermenting and non-fermenting gram negative bacilli

37 °C in ambient air for 48 h

Oxoid

Bilayer colistin/ nalidixic acid agar with 5 % sheep blood

Selective for gram positive pathogens (eg S.aureus, streptococci)

37 °C in 5–10 % CO₂ for 48 h

Oxoid

Banked human blood-tween agar

G.vaginalis

37 °C in 5–10 % CO₂ for 48 h

Oxoid/Tween 80 Sigma^c

Gonococcal agar

Neisseria gonorrheae

37 C in 5–10 % CO₂

Oxoid (VCAT^d

supplement from oxoid)

Anaerobic agars:

Schaedler Agar with Vitamin K1 and 5 % Sheep Blood

Brucella Blood Agar with Hemin and Vitamin K1

Phenylethyl alcohol-SBA (PEA-SBA)

Anaerobes

Anaerobic atmosphere, 35 ± 2 °C for 72 h

Oxoid/Vit K Sigma

Fluka^e/Vit K and Hemin Sigma

BD/ supplements from Sigma