Skirrow's Campylobacter Agar is a classical selective blood-containing medium developed for the primary isolation of thermotolerant Campylobacter species from mixed specimens, especially feces and other enteric samples. The medium is designed to suppress much of the competing intestinal flora while still permitting recovery of delicate microaerophilic campylobacters.

Its performance depends on a nutritive agar base enriched with blood and supplemented with the traditional VPT antibiotic system: vancomycin, polymyxin B, and trimethoprim. When combined with incubation at approximately 42°C under a microaerophilic atmosphere, the medium creates a selective ecological niche that favors thermotolerant campylobacters over many enteric competitors.

Skirrow medium remains valuable in clinical and food microbiology where a classical blood-enriched Campylobacter medium is preferred, especially in workflows prioritizing recovery of stressed organisms from heavily contaminated samples.

• Primary isolation of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli from stool samples
• Recovery of thermotolerant Campylobacter from clinical enteric specimens
• Use in food microbiology and poultry-related Campylobacter screening workflows
• Selective culture where heavy enteric commensal flora must be suppressed
• Routine and reference laboratory Campylobacter culture programs

Base Composition (per Liter)

Complete Medium Requirements

The dehydrated base alone is not the final working medium. For performance consistent with classical Skirrow methodology, the prepared base is typically supplemented with:

• 5–7% lysed or defibrinated blood for enrichment and recovery support
• Selective supplement (VPT) containing vancomycin, polymyxin B, and trimethoprim

Skirrow's Campylobacter Agar operates through a triple-antibiotic selective system designed to suppress competing flora while preserving the viability of microaerophilic Campylobacter species:

• Vancomycin: inhibits many Gram-positive organisms
• Polymyxin B: suppresses a range of Gram-negative enteric competitors
• Trimethoprim: helps prevent swarming by Proteus species and reduces nuisance overgrowth

Combined with blood enrichment and incubation at 42°C in a microaerophilic atmosphere, the medium creates a strongly favorable growth niche for thermotolerant campylobacters.

Meta Title: Skirrow's Campylobacter Agar | Selective Medium | AS-1165

Meta Description: Selective blood-enriched Campylobacter agar with VPT system for primary isolation from stool and enteric samples.

Keywords: campylobacter agar, skirrow medium, skirrow agar, campylobacter selective medium, VPT medium