Cholera laboratory tests
|
Cholera Microchapters |
|
Diagnosis |
|---|
|
Treatment |
|
Case Studies |
|
Cholera laboratory tests On the Web |
|
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Cholera laboratory tests |
|
Risk calculators and risk factors for Cholera laboratory tests |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Lab tests are not mandatory for diagnosis and treatment of cholera. In endemic areas when suspected, treatment should be started as early as possible with fluid replacement and antibiotics. In areas where cholera is uncommon, performing lab tests are worthwhile.Tests used for identification of organisms are: Direct microscopic examination of organism, dark field examination, gram staining, culture, antigen, polymerase chain reaction and serotype tests
Lab tests
- Lab tests are not mandatory for diagnosis and treatment of cholera. In endemic areas when suspected, treatment should be started as early as possible with fluid replacement and antibiotics (when indicated). In areas where cholera is uncommon, performing lab tests are worthy.
- Tests used for identification of organisms are:
- Direct microscopic examination of organism
- Dark field examination
- Gram staining
- Culture
- Antigen, Polymerase chain reaction and serotype tests
Culture Media
- Stool and swab collected in the acute stage of the disease are useful specimens for laboratory diagnosis. A number of special media have been employed for the cultivation for Cholera vibrios. They are classified as follows:
Holding or transport media
- Venkataraman-ramakrishnan (VR) medium
- Cary-Blair medium: This the most popularly carrying media. This is a buffered solution of sodium chloride, sodium thioglycollate, disodium phosphate and calcium chloride at pH 8.4.
Enrichment media
- Alkaline peptone water at pH 8.6
- Monsur's taurocholate tellurite peptone water at pH 9.2
Plating media
- Alkaline bile salt agar: The colonies are very similar to those on Nutrient Agar.
- Monsur's gelatin Tauro cholate trypticase tellurite agar (GTTA) medium: Cholera vibrios produce small translucent colonies with a greyish black centre.
- TCBS medium: This the mostly widely used medium. This medium contains thiosulphate, citrate, bile salts and sucrose. Also in oysters and lobster in some cases. Cholera vibrios produce flat 2-3 mm in diameter, yellow nucleated colonies.