Strains of vibrio cholerae can infect the small intestine resulting in cholera. Cholera effects 3-5 million people a year, therefore treating the infection is an extremely important action. There are a variety of vaccines that can be used, but to help develop these the bacterium itself needs to be isolated;
Vibrio cholerae can grow in a variety of mediums, with specific strains growing better in certain mediums. The typical way to isolate vibrio cholera is by first using Alkaline Peptone water, this forms a broth in which vibrio bacteria grow at a far faster rate than non-vibrio bacteria. This is useful when using a stool sample. After 6-8 hours in the broth the number of vibrio bacteria will greatly outnumber the non-vibrio bacteria. A sample from the broth can then be transferred to a TCBS medium (thiosulphate citrate bile salts sucrose agar), this medium inhibits the growth of gram positive bacteria and enterobacteriaceae (a large group of gram negative bacteria). After 18-24 hours on the TCBS the vibrio cholera will produce large yellow colonies with an opaque centre.
Vibrio cholerae can grow in a variety of mediums, with specific strains growing better in certain mediums. The typical way to isolate vibrio cholera is by first using Alkaline Peptone water, this forms a broth in which vibrio bacteria grow at a far faster rate than non-vibrio bacteria. This is useful when using a stool sample. After 6-8 hours in the broth the number of vibrio bacteria will greatly outnumber the non-vibrio bacteria. A sample from the broth can then be transferred to a TCBS medium (thiosulphate citrate bile salts sucrose agar), this medium inhibits the growth of gram positive bacteria and enterobacteriaceae (a large group of gram negative bacteria). After 18-24 hours on the TCBS the vibrio cholera will produce large yellow colonies with an opaque centre.
Vibrio cholerae on a TCBS medium. Picture;https://www.flickr.com/photos/nathanreading/7748443902
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholera
http://www.cdc.gov/cholera/pdf/Laboratory-Methods-for-the-Diagnosis-of-Vibrio-cholerae-chapter-4.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholera
http://www.cdc.gov/cholera/pdf/Laboratory-Methods-for-the-Diagnosis-of-Vibrio-cholerae-chapter-4.pdf