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Fastidious anaerobe broth and brain-heart infusion cysteine broth supplemented with ‘Panmede’ (a papain digest of ox liver) 2·5% supported the recovery of five Streptobacillus moniliformis strains from simulated blood cultures. Other media tested in parallel—brain heart infusion cysteine broth without ‘Panmede’ and Brewer’s thiogly-collate broth—were unreliable. Sodium polyanethol sulphonate (Liquoid) 0·05%, inhibited five isolates of S. moniliformis, including isolates from patients with Haverhill Fever. Occasionally, Liquoid 0·025% was also inhibitory and a heavy inoculum of one strain, NCTC11194, was completely inhibited by Liquoid 0·012% in simulated nutrient-broth blood cultures. These results suggest that the choice of media included in each blood-culture set is critical for the optimal isolation of S. moniliformis. Brain-heart infusion cysteine broth supplemented with ‘Panmede’, or commercially available fastidious anaerobe broth, without Liquoid, is recommended.