This monograph has been reviewed by members of the IUMS–ICFMH Working Party on Culture Media and given ‘Proposed’ status.

The medium was developed for the isolation of Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio cholerae from environmental sources (Massad and Oliver, 1987). It was shown to be superior to other media in its ability to select and differentiate Vibrio vulnificus from other species found in the environment (Oliver et al., 1992). Its use in the examination of oysters was reported by Kaysner et al. (1989) and Tamplin et al. (1991). The medium is less inhibitory to Vibrio vulnificus than is TCBS, the medium used for isolation of most other pathogenic Vibrio spp. The selective components of CPC agar are the antibiotics colistin and polymyxin B, and a high incubation temperature (40°C). Differentiation is based on cellobiose fermentation which is detected by the pH indicators.