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

This medium was developed for the selective isolation of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli from human faeces (Skirrow, 1977; Skirrow et al., 1982). It replaced the more cumbersome method of selective filtration through 0.65 µm pore size membranes. The medium relies on the extreme degree of resistance of campylobacters to trimethoprim and moderate resistance to vancomycin and polymyxin. It is necessary to include lysed horse blood in order to neutralise trimethoprim antagonists; failure of trimethoprim activity will result in growth of Proteus spp., which are among the few groups of Gram-negative bacteria that are resistant to polymyxins.