Orr H C, Sibinovic K H, Probst P G, Hochstein H D, Littlejohn D C
In Vitro. 1975 Jul-Aug;11(4):230-3. doi: 10.1007/BF02616338.
Bacteriological tests were made on 24 lots of unfiltered calf serum collected for subsequent use as a component of tissue culture media. The examination included the isolation and identification of bacteria, assay of phages, and demonstration of endotoxin material. Only Gram-positive bacteria were isolated and 96% of the sera were contaminated with bacteria. The prevalent strains of bacteria found were Bacillus species and streptococci and 63% of the sera coagulated Limulus amebocyte lysate. More than 90% of the lots contained phages demonstrable with the C-3000 strain of Escherichia coli. Only one lot of the serum was found to be free from bacteria, phages, and endotoxin by the tests used.
