MUG SORBITOL AGAR

Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7 is a human pathogen associated with hemorrhagic colitis. Most organisms of the faecal flora ferment sorbitol and appear pink on this medium. MUG Sorbitol Agar is a modification of MacConkey Agar using sorbitol instead of lactose. MUG Sorbitol Agar is used for detecting or differentiating enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) in water by a fluorogenic method. The distinction of EPEC from other groups of pathogenic E. coli isolated from patients’ stools involves serological and cell culture assays. EPEC causes watery diarrhea and bloody diarrhea. Watery diarrhea is associated with attachment and physical alteration of the integrity of the intestine. Bloody diarrhea is associated with attachment of acute tissue destructive process mediated by a toxin called shiga toxin or verotoxin. Shiga toxin is cell associated rather than excreted. Hence the detection or differentiation of this organism is vital from public health point of view. It has reported that some Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are inhibited on this medium when incubated in a CO2-enriched atmosphere. The colour of sorbitol- positive colonies can fade, making them hard to distinguish from sorbitol-negative colonies

for isolation and identi?cation of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli associated with infant diarrhoea by ?uorogenic method