Comparison of specimen collection and laboratory techniques for isolation of Haemophilus ducreyi.
Sixteen patients with clinical chancroid were studied prospectively; different culture media and sampling techniques from genital lesions were evaluated. Technique A was aspiration of a saline wash from the ulcer which was pooled and inoculated into rabbit blood, rabbit blood + vancomycin (5 microgram/ml), and semisolid chocolate agar + vancomycin (3 microgram/ml). Each primary culture medium was subcultured to chocolate agar with 1% IsoVitaleX (CA), CA with vancomycin (3 microgram/ml) plus polymyxin (7.5 microgram/ml; CA + vp). Technique B was the use of a cotton swab, plated directly on CA, CA + v, and CA + vp. Nine strains of Haemophilus ducreyi were obtained. Technique A yielded seven strains, whereas technique B yielded eight strains; with each technique, five strains were isolated only after use of selective antibiotic  media. CA + v medium yielded the largest number of isolates. Direct inoculation by swab to CA + v from chancroidal ulcers is effective as an isolation technique for growth of H. ducreyi.
D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002602:Chancroid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003470:Culture Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006191:Haemophilus ducreyi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011112:Polymyxin B; D013048:Specimen Handling; D014640:Vancomycin
D003470:Culture Media; D014640:Vancomycin; D011112:Polymyxin B