Urea Agar

Differentiate microorganisms on the basis of urease activity with Thermo Scientific™ Remel™ Urea Agar. Christensen developed this medium to help in differentiation of rapid urea-positive Proteus spp. from other urea-positive enteric gram-negative bacilli^1,2. This medium allows for urease activity to be demonstrated in organisms which have more complex nitrogen requirements³. The medium can also be used to determine urease activity of non-enteric gram-negative bacilli, such as Brucella and Bordetella and to differentiate Cryptococcus and other yeasts^4,5.

Urea Agar is used to detect rapid urease activity of the Proteae and non-rapid urease activity of some Enterobacteriaceae. Urea Agar is a lightly buffered medium that contains urea and phenol red, a pH indicator. When organisms utilize urea, ammonia is formed which changes the pH of the medium to alkaline.

• Ready to use – Convenience of prepared media.
• Easy to interpret – Intense pink-red color development indicates a positive test.

Urea Agar contains urea as a substrate to detect urease activity. Gelatin peptone promotes rapid growth of many enteric gram-negative bacilli, permitting a decrease in incubation time. Dextrose helps eliminate false-negative reactions and stimulates urease activity in those organisms which hydrolyze urea slowly. Sodium chloride provides electrolytes and monopotassium phosphate acts as a buffer. Phenol red is a pH indicator that changes color from pale-yellow to pink-red in an alkaline environment. Agar is the solidifying agent.

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Remel™ and Oxoid™ products are now part of the Thermo Scientific brand.