Scs agar

Tissue samples were processed according to the following protocol: after arrival at the Department for Infectious Diseases, Medical Microbiology and Hygiene of Heidelberg University, the tissue was ground using a sterile porcelain mortar, followed by the addition of 1 mL of 0.9% NaCl. This suspension was inoculated onto Columbia 5% sheep blood agar (BD life sciences, Heidelberg, Germany), chocolate agar, MacConkey agar, SCS agar, Schaedler Neo Vanco +5% sheep blood (SNVS) agar (all BioMérieux, Marcy, France), and thioglycolate broth (BD life sciences), and then Gram staining was performed. Samples were incubated under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, as appropriate, for 48 h (aerobic microorganisms) or 72 h (anaerobic microorganisms) at 36°C. If growth on plates was detected, identification of microorganisms was performed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Bruker Daltonics, Bremen, Germany) as described elsewhere.24 (link) Susceptibility testing was performed using VITEK2 (Biomérieux, Nürtingen, Germany) or MIC test strips (Liofilchem, Piane Romano, Italy), respectively, and the results were interpreted according to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing clinical breakpoints.