Use of desertomycin medium in routine selective isolation of fungi pathogenic to man.

Abstract

THE isolation of pathogenic fungi producing superficial or systemic diseases in man from clinical materials is made difficult by different contaminating bacteria and saprophytic fungi overgrowing the culture medium and suppressing or inhibiting the growth of pathogenic fungi. In order to obtain pathogenic fungi in a pure culture, attempts were made to mix various substances in the medium in such a way that they would be liable to prevent the growth of contaminants. After a great deal of effort, the most satisfactory result was obtained by cultivation media containing actidione. Actidione (cycloheximide)2 was the only antifungal antibiotic which, though exerting no antibacterial effect, inhibits the growth of most saprophytic fungi, yet does not inhibit the development of fungi pathogenic to man. For this very reason, it can be used with penicillin and streptomycin2,3 or chloramphenicol4 for the preparation of selective culture media.