exotoxins produced by several species of gram positive cocci which are able to destroy red blood cells and hemoglobin - usually Streptococcus bacteria

5% sheep blood in a tryptic soy agar base

1. B-hemolysis
2. a-hemolysis
3. y-hemolysis

the complete destruction of RBCs and hemoglobin, results in a clearing of the medium around the colonies

the partial destruction of RBCs and produces a greenish discoloration of the agar around the colonies

is non-hemoylsis and appears as simple growth with no change to the medium

hemolysins produced by streptococci

O and S

is oxygen-labile and expresses maximal activity under anaerobic conditions

is oxygen stable but expresses itself optimally under anaerobic conditions as well

Blood agar is streaked for isolation and then stabbed with a loop. The stabs encourage streptolysin activity because of the reduced oxygen concentration of the subsurface environment. The easiest method.