- Butzler selective medium is used to isolate campylobacter jejuni and campylobacter coli from faeces.
- Butzlers Virion medium is recommended because it has been shown to give satisfactory results when cultures are incubated in a candle jar at 37°.
Composition of Butzler campylobacter medium:
To make about 38 plates:
- Brucella agar base (oxoid)…………500 ml (thioglycollate medium with 20 g agar added, Columbia agar or oxoid blood agar base can be used)
- Sterile sheep blood……………………..75 ml
- Rifampicin……………………………………5 mg
- Colistin…………………………………………5000 IU
- Cafoperazone……………………………….7.5 mg
- Amphotericin B……………………………..1 mg
Preparation procedure of Butzler campylobacter medium
- Prepare and sterilize the Brucella agar or other base medium as instructed by the manufacturer. Transfer to a 50°C water bath.
- When the medium has cooled to 50°C add aseptically the sterile sheep blood (prewarmed to room temperature), and mix gently.
- Add the antibiotics and mix gently but well. Avoid forming air bubbles
- Dispense aseptically in sterile petri dishes as described.
- Label the plates
- Date the medium and give it a batch number.
Quality control
- pH of medium: depending on the agar base used, the pH should be within the range pH 7.2-7.5 at room temperature.
- Performance: test the medium as described for the control of a selective medium.
- *Store the plates at 2-8°C in sealed plastic bags to prevent loss of moisture.
Uses of Butzler campylobacter medium:
- Used as selective medium for isolation of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli