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Abstract
The surface growth of several species of clostridia was assessed in terms of the contribution made to the total viable count by spores and vegetative cells respectively. In some cases a large proportion of the surface count was derived from vegetative cells. This conclusion is based on the finding that in many cases the viable count considerably exceeded the maximum estimates for the number of spores in the inocula. Thus vegetative cells may be the significantly viable particles in the surface growth of common pathogenic clostridia. In general, good recovery of the anaerobes tested was obtained with traditional methods.
The possibility that the growth of clinically important anaerobes might be enhanced by the supplementation of 10 per cent, equine blood agar with either (i) sterile iron filings sprinkled on to seeded plates, or (ii) a development of Moore’s cysteine-dithiothreitol system, was explored. There was no evidence that enhancement occurred, except with organisms of the Cl. oedematiens group.
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