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Columbia Agar Base is used with blood for the isolation and cultivation of a wide variety of fastidious microorganisms. Columbia Agar Base is not intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions in humans. A modification of the original Columbia Agar base formulation, Columbia Agar Base provides a medium that is suitable for use with both defibrinated horse and sheep blood. The peptone mixture provides a source of nitrogen, essential vitamins and amino acids. The starch provides a carbon source and sodium chloride maintains osmotic balance. Originally described as a general purpose nutritious agar base by Ellner et al. Columbia Agar is more frequently used when enriched by the addition of sterile blood. The medium is suitable for supporting the growth and determining hemolytic reactions of a variety of microorganisms