title: Evaluation of the new OxyPlate™ Anaerobic System for the isolation of ocular anaerobic bacteria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Anaerobic bacteria can cause ocular infections. We tested the OxyPlate™ Anaerobic System (OXY) to isolate pertinent anaerobic bacteria that can cause ocular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  OXY, which does not require direct anaerobic conditions (i.e. bags, jars), was compared to conventional isolation of incubating culture media in anaerobic bags. Standard colonies counts were performed on anaerobic ocular bacterial isolates under aerobic and anaerobic conditions (anaerobic bags) using agar media: 1) OXY (aerobic only), 2) 5% sheep blood (SB), 3) Chocolate, and 4) Schaedler. The bacteria tested were de-identified ocular isolates cultured from endophthalmitis and dacryocystitis that include 10 Propionibacterium acnes and 3 Actinomyces species. The colony counts for each bacteria isolate, on each culturing condition, were ranked from largest to smallest, and non-parametrically compared to determine the best culturing condition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All anaerobic conditions were positive for all of the anaerobic isolates. SB and Schaedler's agar under aerobic conditions did not support the growth of anaerobic bacteria. Sparse growth was noted on chocolate agar with Propionibacterium acnes. As an anaerobic system, SB in an anaerobic bag isolated higher colony counts than OXY (P=0.0028) and chocolate agar (P=0.0028).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although OXY did not test to be more efficient than other anaerobic systems, it appears to be a reasonable alternative for isolating anaerobic bacteria from ocular sites. The use of an agar medium in a specially designed plate, without the requirement of an anaerobic bag, rendered OXY as an advantage over other anaerobic systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, 203 Lothrop Street Ophthalmic Microbiology The Eye & Ear Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States.
authors.forename: Emily K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Deschler
authors.forename: Paul P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Regis Paul
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Kowalski