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

This blood-free isolation agar was developed by Karmali especially to resolve some shortcomings of the CCDA medium (Bolton et al., 1984). Columbia agar is used as the basal medium with charcoal, haemin and sodium pyruvate as supplements for growth and aerotolerance enhancement. Cefoperazone, vancomycin, and amphotericin are the selective agents used. The medium is employed in conjunction with Skirrow agar for the isolation of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. from faeces (Karmali et al., 1986). Karmali medium is specified as one of the second choice plating media in the revised ISO/DIS 10272 (ISO, 2002a, 2002b).