Use of a semiselective medium to culture Legionella pneumophila from contaminated lung specimens

Abstract
L. pneumophila was successfully isolated, using a semiselective medium, from 2 of 3 lung specimens [human] heavily contaminated with other organisms. This medium is composed of charcoal yeast extract agar, supplemented with vancomycin and polymyxin B. L. pneumophila was observed at 8 days on plates containing .ltoreq. 40 units of polymyxin B and .ltoreq. 1 .mu.g of vancomycin/ml.