A first generation of CHROMagar chromogenic media allowed differentiation of a single pathogen by a single color. These were the first generation media, known as Rambach Agar and CHROMagar E.coli. Further development led to the second generation of CHROMagar chromogenic media allowing differentiation of several pathogens by a multicolor method; for example: CHROMagar Orientation which allows detection and differentiation of urinary tract pathogens; and CHROMagar Candida which allows the differentiation of various Candida species.
 

The Advantages

This assures easy differentiation of microorganism without complex and costly traditional detection procedures.

Colonies of specific microorganism are recognizable at a glance by the color. This increases the efficiency of laboratory testing and also saves time and labor costs.

CHROMagar is a research oriented high-tech company based in Paris, France, consisting of a small team of professionally trained technicians and scientists developing its marketing through a worldwide distribution network. It has become the leader in this innovative technology of chromogenic culture media as well as a successful business oriented company.

From this humble pioneering start a new diagnostic field has been successfully created. The result of this research and application can help the world to solve its chronic and constant difficulties, and help to check and identify the emerging infectious diseases.
 

• Yeasts are increasingly important pathogens, particularly for immuno-depressed people - elderly, AIDS victims, etc.

  CHROMagar Candida - will not only allow the growth and detection of yeasts - like traditional media (Sabouraud) but in addition, just by the color of the colony, will instantly allow to differentiate various Candida species.

  CHROMagar Candida helps to recognize the major population of Candida infecting the patient as well as for the first time - it offers a panoramic view on a mixed population with ability to recognize the presence of a minor population within a patient.

• CHROMagar Orientation

  The major target of this medium is for the detection of urinary tract pathogens, but CHROMagar Orientation has a broader application as a general nutrient agar for isolation of various microorganisms. For the first time, it presents an instant palette of colors to obtain larger spectrum of differentiation of species. In case of urine samples this allows, in most cases, full differentiation of the pathogens. In addition, CHROMagar Orientation can be also used to differentiate various microorganisms in other infected areas; e.g. scars. CHROMagar Orientation is also useful when supplemented with various antibiotics in detecting increasingly important nosocomial and multiple resistant microorganisms. The proper use of CHROMagar Orientation will correctly pinpoint the presence of a minor population and will help to establish the right diagnosis and therapy.
  
  

• Rambach Agar & CHROMagar Salmonella & CHROMagar Salmonella Plus

  The conventional media for the detection of Salmonella has a very poor specificity creating an abondance of false positives (Citrobacter, Proteus, etc. as suspect colonies) among the rare real positive Salmonella. The workload for unnecessary examination of suspect colonies is so high that the real positive Salmonella colonies might often be missed in routine testing.

  In order to distinguish the real positive, the conventional method requires the tedious examination of 10 colonies per suspected sample.

  On the other hand - Rambach Agar or CHROMagar Salmonella - will eliminate most false positives and allow the technicians to focus all attention on rare suspected samples.

  These samples could be correctly identified as a real positive for Salmonella.

  Because Rambach Agar and CHROMagar Salmonella have very high specificity: (1) fewer samples are positive and have to be checked and (2) there is no further need to investigate 10 different colonies per sample. Overall workload will be reduced and in a routine examination one can detect with higher frequency the samples containing Salmonella.

  This is particularly useful in case of a sudden, dangerous outbreak of Salmonella food poisoning.

• CHROMagar Staph aureus

  Staphylococcus aureus is a major pathogenic bacterium found in clinical field and in food industry. Nosocomial infections due to Staphylococcus aureus create an increasing number of problems, so it is becoming more and more important to detect Staphylococcus aureus and in particular, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

  A conventional media for the detection of Staphylococcus aureus is Mannitol Salt Agar (called Chapman Agar in Europe). This media based on hypersalinity and fermentation of mannitol has an excessive rate of false positives and of false negatives. CHROMagar Staph. aureus is a selective chromogenic medium of high specificity and high sensitivity.

  Another conventional media to detect Staphylococcus aureus is Blood Agar which requires the tedious and costly examination with immunological tests of 5-10 colonies per suspected sample. On the other hand CHROMagar Staph. aureus, in eliminating most false positives, is more convenient and more powerful than conventional methods. With CHROMagar Staph. aureus, testing a single colony with typical color for further identification will generally be sufficient for high probability detection of Staphylococcus aureus.

• CHROMagar MRSA

  Staphylococcus aureus is one the most frequently isolated pathogens in clinical field, among them methicillin resistant Staphylococuus aureus (MRSA) is an important nosocomial pathogen.
  CHROMagar MRSA is a new chromogenic media allowing by a single direct step pre-identification of MRSA including low level resistant strains with a higher specificity and sensitivity than classical methods.

• CHROMagar VRE

  Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) infections are especially aggressive and have been associated with high mortality rates. Also, the possibility of transfer of vancomycin resistance genes to other gram-positive organisms raises significant concerns. The detection and differentiation of the Enterococci strains carrying a transmissible resistance (E.faecalis and E.faecium) is a top priority in the epidemic control.
  The CHROMagar VRE gives a rapid detection and clear differentiation of the VRE.faecalis/VRE.faecium from other bacteria.

• CHROMagar O157

To increase the specificity for detection of E.coli O157 one can supplement this medium with Tellurite.

• The bacteria E.coli is an indicator of fecal contamination, very useful in monitoring the food hygiene. The general food standard limits are usually approx. 50 E.coli bacteria per gram and thus it is important to detect and enumerate them correctly. Traditional methods for E.coli are extremely tedious and require heavy overload with experimental studies of many colonies.

  On the contrary - CHROMagar E.coli - is a culture medium showing directly E.coli colonies in blue color - thus making the detection and the enumeration of this important hygiene indicator as simple as possible.

  CHROMagar ECC will in addition show the other coliforms as red colonies - another useful indicator of questionable hygiene conditions.

• CHROMagar Listeria

  Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogenic bacteria which can cause serious food poisoning. For the detection of Listeria monocytogenes, conventional methods are long and they require heavy work load. On the contrary, the medium CHROMagar Listeria helps to easily differentiate Listeria monocytogenes from other Listeria directly at the isolation step. Listeria monocytogenes colonies are blue and are surrounded by a white halo due to a specific phospholipase activity.

• CHROMagar Vibrio

   

  V. parahaemolyticus, V.vulnificus and V.cholerae are a pathogenic bacteria which can cause serious seafood poisoning. For the detection of those bacteria, conventional methods (TCBS) are long, require heavy workload and are not very sensitive.
  On the contrary, the medium CHROMagar Vibrio helps to easily differentiate V. parahaemolyticus, V.vulnificus and V.cholerae from other Vibrio directly at the isolation step by colony colour with a sensitivity higher than conventional methods.
  V. parahaemolyticus colonies are mauve, V.vulnificus and V.choleare appear as blue colonies while V. alginolyticus colonies are colourless. This medium is selective against most major enterobacteriaceae and Gram positivebacteria.