INTEGRA has released a new application note that demonstrates how combining its MEDIAJET Petri dish filler with the DOSE IT peristaltic pump provides an optimised automated solution for the production of high quality blood agar.

The quality of blood agar plates is of prime importance for the reliable determination of haemolysis type - a common technique in medical diagnostics to classify Gram positive cocci. High quality agar plates have a typical light red colour - a characteristic feature of intact erythrocytes. Agar plates with lysed red blood cells appear brown coloured, a feature that complicates the reading of haemolysis pattern. To avoid spontaneous lysis of erythrocytes, it is important to keep the temperature of the agar as low as possible. In addition to minimise cell lysis, the time the blood remains in the hot agar has to be as short as possible. Meeting these requirements is a challenge for most laboratories.
 
The new application note describes an automated protocol that minimizes the time that the blood is exposed to hot agar medium and thus efficiently reduces thermally induced lysis of erythrocytes.  By preparing the blood agar using an INTEGRA MEDIACLAVE media preparator, the dispensing temperature can be set and maintained at low temperature.  Furthermore by combining the MEDIAJET Petri Dish filler together with a DOSE-IT peristaltic pump and a special tubing set for blood agar the experimenters were able to add blood to the agar immediately before pouring the plate thereby reducing blood cell lysis significantly. 

For a copy of this application note visit www.integra-biosciences.com/pdf/liquid_handling/Blood_agar_preparation_V00.doc or contact INTEGRA on +41-81-286-9530 / info@integra-biosciences.com  (Europe / Asia Pacific) or +1-603-578-5800 / contact@viaflo.com (North / South America).

INTEGRA is a leading provider of high-quality laboratory tools for liquid handling, media preparation, sterilization and cell cultivation. The company committed to creating innovative solutions which fulfill the needs of our customers in research, diagnostics and quality control within the life science markets and medical industry. The INTEGRA group, comprising INTEGRA Biosciences AG, Zizers, Switzerland and the INTEGRA Biosciences US, Hudson, NH, maintains a worldwide network of over 90 independent highly trained distribution partners.