FECAL FLORA OF MAN .4. COMPARISON OF NEWLY DEVELOPED METHOD WITH OLD CONVENTIONAL METHOD FOR ANALYSIS OF INTESTINAL FLORA

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 234  (2) , 219-233
Abstract
The results of 42 fecal flora analyses of healthy adult men were compared by using a newly developed method and conventional method. Statistical estimates indicate that with the new method the total counts and the counts of bifidobacteria, catenabacteri (eubacteria and anaerobic lactobacilli), peptostreptococci, and clostridia (except Clostridium perfringens) and the incidence of peptostreptococci and Spirillaceae were significantly higher than with the old method. The counts and incidence of bifidobacteria, veillonellae, C. perfringens, megasphaerae and aerobes were similar with both methods. With the new method the total fecal counts of healthy adult men averaged 1-2 .times. 1011/g wet wt; fastidious anaerobes, i.e., Bacteroides, cantenabacteria and peptostreptococci, were predominant. The conventional anearobic jar method is apparently inadequate for the isolation of fastidious anaerobes; modified medium 10 in combination with strict anaerobic technique is necessary for the analysis of fecal flora.