A Miniature Anaerobic Jar for Tissue Transport or for Cultivation of Anaerobes

Abstract

Miniature jars (35-mm. film containers), with acidified copper sulfate and steel wool for obtaining anaerobiosis, were found to be economical and convenient to use for the transport of tissue for anaerobic examination. These jars were compared with Brewer jars and gassed roll tubes. All were equally effective in keeping Bacteroides melaninogenicits and Fusobacterium fnsiforme viable for six hours in inoculated tissue. The miniature-jar system can also be used for the cultivation of obligate anaerobes on agar slants or in roll-vials. Alka-Seltzer is an effective source of carbon dioxide. ANAEROBES frequently infect man and animals. Examination of clinical material suspected of containing anaerobes should be made immediately after collection or, if this is not possible, the material should be kept in an anaerobic state until it is brought to the laboratory. Tissue is usually transported anaerobically in liquid media such as fluid thioglycollate medium or Stuart's Transport Medium or in vials of pre-reduced medium 1 into which bits of tissue have been injected. Tissue may also be transported in sterile containers placed in anaerobic jars or placed in gassed-out, oxygen-free tubes. This report presents a modified coppersul fate-steel-wool method for obtaining anaerobiosis that is used with metal 35-mm. film containers as miniature anaerobic jars (the "mini-jar" method).

Comparison of Methods for Isolation of Anaerobic Bacteria from Clinical Specimens

“…Table 5 provides data on the recovery of all anaerobic isolates by different media. Data for the GasPak jar and the evacuation-replace- 6 (100) 5/5' (100) 4/5' (80) 5' (83) 5' (83) Eubacterium 3 3 (100) 3 (100) 3 (100) 3 (100) 3 (100) 3 (100) 3 (100) Clostridium 4 4 (100) 4 (100) 2 (50) 3/3e (100) 3' (75) 3' (75) 3' (75) aCMG, chopped-meat glucose; R-thio, regular commercial thioglycolate; C-thio, concentrated thioglycolate.…”

“…One milliliter of prereduced anaerobically sterilized (PRAS) peptone yeast glucose medium was included in tubes used for transport of very viscous specimens or those with a volume of less than approximately 1 ml. Tissue specimens were placed in the anaerobic "mini-jar" described by Attebery and Finegold (3). Transport containers were taken directly to the Anaerobic Microbiology Laboratory and immediately processed or stored at 4 C usually for no longer than 2 hr.…”

Anaerobes survive in clinical specimens despite delayed processing

“…Eleven specimens from as many patients were included in the study. The sources of purulent exudate were intraabdominal abscesses (8), neck abscesses (2), and lung abscesses (1). Ten specimens yielded a mixed aerobic-anaerobic flora, whereas one yielded only anaerobes.…”

“…Since oxygen is by definition toxic for anaerobic bacteria, a number of devices have been developed to minimize air exposure of specimens. These include transport tubes containing oxygen-free gas, specialized transport media, and even portable anaerobic chambers (1,2,4,6,9). Although such precautions appear meritorious, there are no data available to document efficacy except with specimens transported on swabs.…”

Anaerobic bag culture method

“…We developed and studied a method of anaerobic culture that allows use of conventional plating media in an individual unit that can be inspected and processed without exposing other i Present address: Section of Clinical Microbiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. 55901. plates to oxygen. Individual plates are sealed within a transparent, gas-impermeable bag containing steel wool saturated with copper sulfate as the method of establishing an anaerobic atmosphere (2,5). This report describes that system and our experience in comparing the growth of stock cultures and clinical isolates in the anaerobic bag and in the conventional GasPak anaerobic jar.…”