Cetrimide agar is a type of agar used for the selective isolation of the gram-negative bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa.[1] As the name suggests, it contains cetrimide, which is the selective agent against alternate microbial flora.[2] Cetrimide also enhances the production of Pseudomonas pigments such as pyocyanin and pyoverdine, which show a characteristic blue-green and yellow-green colour, respectively.[3][4]

Photograph of a petri dish showing P. aeruginosa with yellow-green Pycocyanin-pigment on cetrimid agar-agar
P. aeruginosa with yellow-green pycocyanin-pigment on cetrimid agar-agar

Cetrimide agar is widely used in the examination of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and clinical specimens to test for the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b http://www.bd.com/ds/productCenter/297882.asp "Cetrimide Agar Base • Pseudosel Agar". Accessed May 3, 2008.
  2. ^ "Pseudomonas Selective Agar, Base (Cetrimide Agar)". Archived from the original on 2008-03-25. Retrieved 2008-05-03. "Pseudomonas Selective Agar, Base (Cetrimide Agar)". Accessed May 3, 2008.
  3. ^ http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/etc/medialib/docs/Fluka/Datasheet/14521dat.pdf[permanent dead link] "14521 Cetrimide Agar Plates". Accessed May 3, 2008.
  4. ^ http://www.condalab.com/pdf/1102.pdf "Cetrimide Agar Base". Accessed May 3, 2008.
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