CHROMagar™ Salmonella

For Detection and Isolation of Salmonella spp., Including S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi

CHROMagar™ Salmonella is a selective chromogenic culture medium developed for the direct detection, isolation, and presumptive identification of Salmonella species, including typhoidal strains (S. Typhi, S. Paratyphi) and non-typhoidal enteric strains. This medium enables differentiation of Salmonella colonies as intense mauve, while most other Enterobacteriaceae appear blue, colorless, or are inhibited, greatly reducing false positives.

With high specificity, rapid interpretation, and simplified workflows, CHROMagar™ Salmonella is suitable for use in clinical diagnostics, food safety testing, veterinary labs, and environmental monitoring.

🔹 Key Features & Benefits

• ✅ Distinct Colony Appearance:

  Organism	Colony Appearance
  Salmonella spp.	Mauve
  E. coli, coliforms	Blue or inhibited
  Other flora	Colorless/inhibited

• ✅ Improved Specificity over Traditional Media:
  • Reduces false positives from Citrobacter, Proteus, and lactose-fermenting coliforms
  • No need to examine 10+ suspect colonies per sample as required with H2S-based media like Hektoen or XLD
• ✅ Fast Results:
  • 18–24 hours incubation at 35–37 °C
  • Rapid identification of Salmonella, even among complex flora
• ✅ High Sensitivity & Specificity:
  • Clinical Sensitivity: 95%
  • Clinical Specificity: 88.9%
  • Analytical Specificity: 100%
  • Significantly better than Hektoen agar (only 78.5% specificity)
• ✅ Multisector Application:
  • Clinical stool screening
  • Ready-to-eat and raw food testing
  • Feed and animal sample analysis
  • Environmental contamination monitoring

🔹 Intended Use

CHROMagar™ Salmonella is intended for:

• Presumptive detection and enumeration of Salmonella spp. from:
  • Human stool and rectal swabs
  • Meat, dairy, egg, produce, and processed food
  • Animal feed and veterinary samples
  • Water and surface samples in processing facilities

⚠️ Not intended for the diagnosis of infection or treatment guidance. Positive colonies require confirmation via biochemical, serological, or molecular techniques (e.g., PCR, MALDI-TOF, agglutination).

🔹 Public Health Relevance

Salmonella remains a top global foodborne pathogen, responsible for:

• ~17 million typhoid and paratyphoid cases annually
• 2 million diarrheal deaths globally (WHO)
• Leading cause of bacterial food outbreaks in Europe (EFSA/ECDC)
• Widespread zoonotic transmission via contaminated food and environments

📌 In the U.S., the incidence rate of Salmonella infections is ~16.5 cases per 100,000 people (CDC).

🔹 Test Procedure

1. Sample Type: Clinical feces, food products, animal feed, surface/environmental swabs
2. Inoculation: Direct plating or post-enrichment (e.g., in Rappaport or Selenite broth)
3. Incubation:
   • Temperature: 35–37 °C
   • Time: 18–24 hours
   • Atmosphere: Aerobic
4. Interpretation:
   • Mauve colonies → Presumptive Salmonella spp.
   • Additional testing required for confirmation

🔹 Ordering Information

🔹 Storage & Shelf Life

• Storage: 2–8 °C (sealed, dry, and protected from light)
• Shelf Life: Up to 24 months from manufacture
• Prepared Media: Use within validated timeframes as per instructions

🔹 Scientific Publications

• Luo et al., 2014 – Novel method for Salmonella isolation in irrigation ponds
• Perez et al., 2003 – CHROMagar™ vs. Hektoen agar for stool samples
• Maddocks et al., 2002 – Comparison of CHROMagar™, XLD, and SS agars
• Gaillot et al., 1998 – Sensitivity/specificity analysis vs. Hektoen (508 samples)

CHROMagar™ Salmonella is a reliable and easy-to-read chromogenic medium for selective isolation of Salmonella spp., including S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi. With improved specificity, reduced false positives, and strong performance in high-throughput screening, it is the ideal choice for laboratories working in clinical diagnostics, food safety, and zoonotic disease surveillance.