FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE PERSISTENCE OF INDIVIDUAL STRAINS OF ESCHERICHIA COLI IN THE INTESTINAL TRACT OF MAN

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Abstract
By plating out fecal specimens from the same normal individual at frequent intervals over a long period of time, picking a number of colonies of Escherichia coli from each plate and classifying the cultures so obtained into groups on the basis of their O antigens, the authors obtained information regarding the length of time particular strains of this organism persisted in the bowel. Six individuals were studied, including a pair of identical twins 2 wks. old at the beginning of the study, another baby 10 days old, and 3 adults. The subjects were studied for 1-4 yrs. Results confirmed the conclusions expressed in a previous report that the E. coli of a particular individual consists of 1 or 2 strains that persist over many months or years which at times are accompanied by strains of much more limited tenure. They call these strains respectively "residents" and "transients." Resident strains are sometimes lost suddenly and replaced by others. Some observations were made on the relation of this loss and replacement to change of environment, intestinal disorders, etc. No definite conclusions were reached as to the reasons why some ingested strains become residents, others transients and others, presumably, fail to survive at all.

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