Which culture medium is used to grow Bordetella pertussis?

Which culture medium is used to grow Bordetella pertussis?

• A. Sabouraud dextrose agar
• B. Bordet-Gengou agar
• C. MacConkey agar
• D. Lowenstein-Jensen medium

Answer: (B)

Bordetella pertussis is a fastidious organism that needs a nutrient-rich, selective environment to grow. Bordet-Gengou agar provides that by using a potato infusion base with glycerol, offering essential nutrients and carbon sources for this specific bacterium. The medium is also formulated to help suppress competing flora, making it easier to isolate Bordetella pertussis from clinical samples like nasopharyngeal swabs. Other media listed are tailored for different microbes: Sabouraud dextrose agar for fungi, MacConkey for many Gram-negative enterics, and Lowenstein-Jensen for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is why Bordet-Gengou agar is the best choice for this organism.

Bordetella pertussis is a fastidious organism that needs a nutrient-rich, selective environment to grow. Bordet-Gengou agar provides that by using a potato infusion base with glycerol, offering essential nutrients and carbon sources for this specific bacterium. The medium is also formulated to help suppress competing flora, making it easier to isolate Bordetella pertussis from clinical samples like nasopharyngeal swabs. Other media listed are tailored for different microbes: Sabouraud dextrose agar for fungi, MacConkey for many Gram-negative enterics, and Lowenstein-Jensen for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is why Bordet-Gengou agar is the best choice for this organism.