title: An evaluation of media for transport of tissues infected with Borrelia burgdorferi.
abstract: Currently, the best medium for culture of Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease, is Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly (BSK), or its modifications. This medium is complex, expensive, and laborious to prepare. A recent report suggested that a less expensive and simpler medium, hypertonic Columbia broth, might be useful as a transport medium for human tissues infected with B burgdorferi. To test this observation, hypertonic Columbia broth, Amies broth, distilled water, physiologic saline, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), and modified Stuart medium were compared with BSK II as transport media, using ear and tail tissue samples from B burgdorferi-infected laboratory mice and using holding times and temperatures simulating actual transport conditions. The results showed BSK II to be markedly superior to the other media tested, although B burgdorferi remained viable in a few tissue samples held at room temperature in hypertonic Columbia broth, physiologic saline, or PBS for up to 2 days. Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly II continues to be the best medium for transport of tissues infected with B burgdorferi.
authors.affiliation: Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado 80522.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piesman
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Dennis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000592:standards*; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000592:standards*; D004423:Ear / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006982:Hypertonic Solutions; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D051379:Mice; D013623:Tail / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D006982:Hypertonic Solutions