Mycosel Agar: Introduction, Principles, Application, Keynotes, and further Readings

Introduction

Mycosel Agar is a selective culture medium to isolate pathogenic fungi from samples containing a mix of fungi and bacteria. It’s designed to suppress the growth of non-pathogenic fungi and bacteria, allowing for the isolation and identification of pathogenic fungi. 

Principle

Cycloheximide inhibits the growth of many saprophytic fungi, allowing the slower-growing pathogenic fungi to become dominant. Chloramphenicol inhibits the growth of most bacteria, preventing them from overgrowing the fungi. Soy Peptone and Dextrose provide the necessary nutrients and energy for the development of fungi. 

Applications:

1. Clinical Microbiology: Used in diagnostic laboratories for the isolation of fungi causing infections.
2. Research: Used in mycology research for studying fungal pathogens and their interactions with other microbes.
3. Environmental Mycology: Can be used to isolate fungi from environmental samples. 

Keynotes

1. Selective: Mycosel Agar contains cycloheximide and chloramphenicol, which inhibit the growth of saprophytic (non-pathogenic) fungi and bacteria, respectively. 
2. Nutrient-Rich: It’s formulated with ingredients like soy peptone and dextrose to support the growth of fungi. 
3. Isolation of Pathogens: Used to isolate pathogenic fungi from clinical samples or other sources where there is a mix of microorganisms. 
4. Quality Control: Mycosel Agar is also used for quality control testing of other media and in research studies. It’s also crucial to perform quality control testing using known fungal strains to ensure the medium is working as intended. 
5. Specificity: While selective, Mycosel Agar may not suppress all fungal species, and some pathogenic fungi might still grow despite the antibiotics. Quality Control and Proper Incubation: Incubate the plates under appropriate conditions (temperature, humidity, atmosphere) for the recommended incubation period. 

Further Readings

• https://www.liofilchem.net/login/pd/ts/163412_TS.pdf
• https://www.dilaco.com/dinamicos/productos/presentacion/PR_29-311462.pdf
• https://assets.fishersci.com/TFS-Assets/MBD/Instructions/IFU1630.pdf
• https://b2b-ca.vwr.com/store/product/en/20768024/null
• https://www.dilaco.com/dinamicos/productos/presentacion/PR_29-311462.pdf
• https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Growth-characteristics-of-C-albicans-strains-SC5314-and-ATCC10231-in-SD-medium_fig1_23413786