DCLS Agar medium is a modification of a formula described by Leifson for the isolation of Enteric pathogens. The addition of both lactose and sucrose in the formula reduces the incidence of false positive results since slow lactose fermenters ferment sucrose readily. The production of acid from the sugar fermentations lowers the pH of the medium and is detected by neutral red. The colony fermenting the sugar takes on a red or deep red color. It is a selective medium because it contains sodium citrate and sodium deoxycholate which inhibit the growth of Gram positive bacteria.

Directions per Liter:

Dissolve 47grams per liter of distilled/ deionized (DDI) water, heating with stirring until completely solubilized. Do not autoclave.

Storage and Stability:

Store powdered media at RT. Opened bottles should be capped tightly and kept in a dark, low humidity environment. Prepared media should be kept at 4°C and used within a short period of time.