BHI Agar w/PABA (Brain Heart Infusion w/ PABA and Agar)

The medium is a highly nutritious medium which can support luxuriant growth of wide variety of microorganisms including bacteria, yeasts and moulds and is often used for isolation of pathogens from clinical specimens especially blood. Para amino benzoic acid is an active inhibitor of the bacteriostasis produced by the sulphonamide drugs; also it serves as an accessory growth factor for several species of bacteria. Therefore para amino benzoic acid incorporated in the medium helps to neutralize the effect of antimicrobials present in the blood of patients under sulphonamide therapy making isolation of organisms from blood easier. Agar in the medium reduces the oxygen tension and favours growth of facultative and obligatory anaerobic microorganisms