Sheep Blood Agar Base (Dehydrated)

Cultivate and isolate fastidious microorganisms from clinical samples through improved hemolytic reactions with sheep blood with Thermo Fisher™ Oxoid™ Sheep Blood Agar Base (Dehydrated) when used with sheep blood. Sheep Blood Agar Base was developed to meet the demand for an especially nutritious blood agar base which would permit the maximum recovery of organisms without interfering with their hemolytic reactions when used with sheep blood.

Sheep Blood Agar Base is based on the formulation of Blood Agar Base No.2 CM0271. Blood Agar Base No.2, when supplemented with sheep blood, was occasionally found to result in a mixed hemolytic reaction (alpha and beta hemolysis) for some Group A streptococci (Streptococcus pyogenes). These mixed hemolytic reactions were due to trace amounts of fermentable carbohydrates in yeast extract and physiological differences of sheep blood when compared to horse blood.¹

Having identified the causes of the mixed hemolytic reactions, the Sheep Blood Agar Base is formulated to be compatible with sheep blood. Comparisons with other blood agar bases supplemented with sheep blood have shown that with Sheep Blood Agar Base the growth of many bacteria ― especially the fastidious streptococci ― is considerably improved, and the expected beta hemolytic reaction is achieved with Streptococcus pyogenes.

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