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Brain Heart Infusion Agar with 10% Sheep Blood is used for the isolation and cultivation of a wide variety of fungal species, including systemic fungi,¹ from clinical and nonclinical sources. The plates are deep-filled to reduce the effects of drying during prolonged incubation.

In the early years of bacteriology, meat infusions were utilized as the growth-supporting components in a large number of culture media. Although they were cumbersome to prepare, lacked consistency from batch to batch and were undefined as to their nutritive content, they enabled the cultivation of microorganisms in both solid and liquid media. As the state-of-the-art in enzymology and chemistry advanced, methods were developed for the preparation of peptones which were the result of enzymatic or acid hydrolysis of animal tissues or products and vegetable substances. These peptones currently are the major nutritional additives to culture media formulations, but infusions are still utilized in specific media.

Brain Heart Infusion Agar is one formulation in which meat infusion is used, although, unlike in the earlier days, the infusion components are solids resulting from the drying of the liquid infusion material rather than the liquid components themselves. Two peptones are also included as sources of nutrients.

This medium has proven to be effective in the cultivation of a wide variety of microorganisms, including many types of pathogens. It has served as the base medium for new culture media formulations when supplemented with sheep blood, cycloheximide, chloramphenicol, and/or gentamicin. BHI Agar is recommended as a general medium for aerobic bacteriology and for the primary recovery of fungi from clinical specimens.^2,3 Brain Heart Infusion Agar with 10% Sheep Blood can be used to isolate systemic fungi which may grow poorly on the nonenriched medium.^2,3

See "Quality Control Procedures."

Quality control requirements must be performed in accordance with applicable local, state and/or federal regulations or accreditation requirements and your laboratory's standard Quality Control procedures. It is recommended that the user refer to pertinent CLSI (formerly NCCLS) guidance and CLIA regulations for appropriate Quality Control practices.

For in vitro Diagnostic Use.

If excessive moisture is observed, invert the bottom over an off-set lid and allow to air dry in order to prevent formation of a seal between the top and bottom of the plate during incubation.

Pathogenic microorganisms, including hepatitis viruses and Human Immunodeficiency Virus, may be present in clinical specimens. "Standard Precautions"^4-7 and institutional guidelines should be followed in handling all items contaminated with blood and other body fluids. After use, prepared tubes, specimen containers and other contaminated materials must be sterilized by autoclaving before discarding.