On 19 Sep 97 02:51:34 GMT, "Lynn Gerber" <lgerbe29 at cybertrails.com>
wrote:
>There is a bit of controversy at our laboratory as to the length of time a
>culture for group A beta strep should be incubated. We are using a
>selective strep media which inhibits much of the normal flora. The
>controversy is whether the negative plates should be kept for more than 24
>hours. In Bailey and Scott's Diagnostic Microbiology, 9th edition, it
>states that overnight incubation can be used for presumptive
>identification. No references are given. Anyone out there have any
>opinions, references, etc. regarding this topic?
>Lynn Gerber
No doubt: you must keep the plates 48 hours.
Carles Alonso i Tarrés, MD, PhD
Microbiology Laboratory
Red Cross Hospital
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona
