L.D. ESCULIN AGAR

Organisms that grow in the absence of oxygen are termed as anaerobes. Depending upon their ability to tolerate oxygen, they are classified as either facultative or obligate anaerobes. The anaerobic gram-negative bacteria are part of the normal flora of the upper respiratory tract, mouth, intestinal tract and urinogenital tract of human and animals. The bile-resistant Bacteroides fragilis group is the most commonly recovered anaerobe in clinical specimens and is more resistant to antimicrobial agents than any other anaerobe. Fusobacterium necrophorum is a very virulent anaerobe that may cause severe infections, usually in children or young adults.
L. D. Medium or Lombard-Dowell Medium was developed by Dowell and Lombard for the cultivation and identification of fastidious anaerobic bacteria. L. D. Esculin Agar is used to determine esculin hydrolysis, hydrogen sulfide and catalase production of Bacteroides and Fusobacterium species.

for identi?cation of anaerobic bacteria like Bacteroides species on the basis of esculin hydrolysis