The optimization of Human Blood Agar (HBA) for Streptococcus pneumonia growth

Abstract

Sheep Blood Agar (SBA) is a standard media for microbiology examination. The difficulties of sheep blood resources on a tropical country and developing countries causing an obstacle in culturing Streptococcus pneumoniae. Beside usage of Human Blood Agar (HBA) was totally not recommended for culturation. The purpose of doing this observation is to modify HBA by washing human blood erythrocyte. Method experimental study with True experimental post-test only design. Colony of Streptococcus pneumoniae that had been checked purity were planted on HBA media and SBA media. Observation was done in 24 hours and 48 hours, comprising of colony diameters, hemodygest diameters, and the characteristics colony. After 24 hours, mostly result was found that Streptococcus pneumoniae colony diameters on SBA media have a significant difference (0,8 mm) with HBA media (0,6 mm). On the 48 hours observation, mostly colony diameters on HBA media (1,5 mm) were narrower than those on SBA media (1,8 mm). After 24 hours, the mean of Streptococcus pneumonia haemolysis diameters, on SBA media (1,2 mm) were significantly different with HBA media (0,6 mm). After the 48 hours observation, haemolysis diameters were widest in SBA media (1,6 mm) and in HBA media (0,8 mm). The characteristics of colony in 24- and 48-hours observation were not having a significant difference between them. Conclusion HBA is an acceptable alternative media for culturing Streptococcus pneumoniae in poorly resourced laboratories.