@article{mbs:/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-39-2-155, author = "Zadik, P. M. and Chapman, P. A. and Siddons, C. A.", title = "Use of tellurite for the selection of verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli O157", journal= "Journal of Medical Microbiology", year = "1993", volume = "39", number = "2", pages = "155-158", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1099/00222615-39-2-155", url = "https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-39-2-155", publisher = "Microbiology Society", issn = "1473-5644", type = "Journal Article", abstract = "Summary Potassium tellurite was assessed for the selection of verocytotoxigenic (VT+) Escherichia coli O157. MICs were higher for VT+ E. coli O157 than for other strains of E. coli and for Aeromonas spp. MacConkey medium containing sorbitol, tellurite and cefixime (TC-SMAC) permitted the growth of VT+ E. coli O157 and Shigella sonnei but partially or completely inhibited the growth of 67% of other strains of E. coli and all or most strains of other sorbitol-non-fermenting species tested. Of 391 rectal swabs from cattle screened on TC-SMAC medium, 26 yielded isolates of VT+ E. coli O157 whereas sorbitol-MacConkey medium with cefixime and rhamnose yielded only nine isolates. Inclusion of potassium tellurite in sorbitol-MacConkey agar markedly increased the rate of isolation of VT+ E. coli O157 from cattle rectal swabs and may do so for other types of specimen.", }