The testing and modification of a commercially available transport medium for the transportation of pure cultures of Haemophilus paragallinarum for serotyping

Haemophilus paragallinarum, the causative agent of infectious coryza in poultry, is an extremely fastidious organism requiring specific growth conditions for isolation. For complete control of the disease in regions where more that one of the serovars of the different serogroups occurs, it is essential that the bacterium causing the problem be isolated and serotyped. This work describes the modification and testing of transport media, which will ensure the survival of the causative agents in suspected infectious coryza cases for transport to a laboratory where the bacterium can be isolated and serotyped. The various transport media used are based on commercially available Amies Transport Medium supplemented with the different supplements used for the growth of H. paragallinarum. It was established that the bacterium remains viable for up to 18 days in Amies Transport Medium containing all the supplements when stored at 4 oC or 37 oC. At room temperature or 25 oC, there was no difference in the survival of H. paragallinarum in commercial Amies Transport Medium (without charcoal) and Amies Transport Medium with supplements.