RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the detective efficacy of Chromogenic Coliform and Escherichia Coli Agar (CCEA). METHODS: A new chromogenic medium CCEA prepared by Huankai laboratory was used to compare with a classical medium of violet red bile agar (VRBA), and other two Chromogenic media Agar I and Agar II by detecting separately 11 reference strains, thirteen sterile samples with Coliform or E.coli and other four samples, and the accordant rates of detection were observed. RESULTS: CCEA had the good selectivity. To seven kinds of quality strains in the resultant analysis, CCEA with VRBA and Agar I had not shown salience difference (P > 0.05), and CCEA with Agar II had significant difference (P < 0.05). CCEA showed more advantages than the Agar II. To thirteen sterile samples with Coliform or E.coli in resultant analysis, CCEA with Agar I and Agar II had shown no significant difference (P > 0.05), while CCEA with VRBA had significant difference (P < 0.05). CCEA might be more advantageous than the VRBA. In analysis of the four actual samples of Coliform, CCEA with VRBA, Agar I and Agar II showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). The accordant rates were 90%, 71.88%, 86.25% and 81.25% respectively, showing CCEA > Agar I > Agar II > VRBA. To two actual samples of E.coli in the resultant analysis, the CCEA with Agar I and Agar II had not shown significant difference (P > 0.05). The accordant rates were 100% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The CCEA might be more advantageous than the VRBA, having the same efficacy as with Agar I and Agar II.