Columbia Sheep Blood Agar

Columbia Blood Agar Base was devised by Ellner et al. This medium contains special peptone which supports rapid and luxuriant growth of fastidious and non-fastidious organisms. Also, this medium promotes typical colonial morphology, better pigment production and more sharply defined haemolytic reactions. Corn starch serves as an energy source and also neutralizes toxic metabolites. Sheep blood permits the detection of haemolysis and also provides heme (X factor) which is required for the growth of many bacteria.