What does it mean when an organism is termed 'fastidious'?

When an organism is described as 'fastidious,' it refers to its picky nutritional requirements, meaning that it needs specific conditions to grow and thrive. Fastidious organisms often require particular nutrients, growth factors, or environmental conditions that are not generally provided by standard laboratory media. This characteristic makes culturing these organisms more challenging, as they cannot thrive in a broad array of conditions and may need enriched media to support their growth.

In the context of microbiology, knowing whether an organism is fastidious is crucial for laboratory diagnostics, as it informs the selection of appropriate culture media and incubation conditions to successfully isolate and identify these organisms. Understanding the specific needs of fastidious organisms can significantly impact the efficacy of microbial testing and analyses.