Description
Kligler Iron Agar is a differential tube medium for presumptive identification of Enterobacteriaceae.
Glucose and lactose fermentation produce acid reactions in the butt or slant, gas may split or lift the agar, and hydrogen sulfide reacts with the iron salt to form blackening. These combined reactions support differentiation of enteric Gram-negative bacilli.
A pure culture is inoculated by stabbing the butt and streaking the slant. Tubes are incubated at 36 ± 1°C for approximately 18–24 hours before the slant, butt, gas and hydrogen-sulfide reactions are interpreted.
