CAL AGAR (CELLOBIOSE ARGININE LYSINE AGAR)

Description

Yersinia enterocolitica is a significant invasive enteric pathogen belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, which causes several well-recognized diseases especially in younger persons and several uncommon post-infection syndromes. Enterocolitis caused by Y. enterocolitica is characterized by diarrhoea, low fever and abdominal pain. CAL Agar used for selective isolation of Y. enterocolitica was originally formulated by Dudley and Shotts. CAL Agar is a differential medium as it differentiates Yersinia on the basis of cellobiose fermentation and lysine or arginine decarboxylation. CAL Agar is generally used for the isolation and characterization of Y. enterocolitica from faecal specimens as the organism is biochemically similar to other Enterobacteriaceae. CAL Broth is used for the enumeration of Y. enterocolitica from water and other liquid specimens.