Method of clonal growth of Streptococcus pneumoniae

A method for clonal growth of Streptococcus pneumoniae from the single colony stage in a medium containing no bovine derived, ovine derived or crude blood derived products which comprises:

• (a) preparing an agar plate of said medium streaked with said Streptococcus pneumoniae, and growing said Streptococcus pneumoniae, wherein said agar plate comprises agar, Yeast Extract, Soy Peptone, salts to maintain buffering and osmolarity, Vitamin K if known to be required for the particular strain being isolated, Hemin, Sodium Bicarbonate, L-cysteine HCl, Glucose, a buffer to maintain the pH at between about pH 7.3-7.8, but no bovine derived, ovine derived or crude blood-derived products;
• and
• (b) selecting a single colony for expansion by growing in a culture of the same medium used in step (a) absent the agar, and optionally storing the culture as a frozen glycerol stock.