Case Study:
Bacteria are everywhereâon our skin, in our food, suspended in our drinking water. Although the
microbial majority is benign, a few bacterial species can make us sick. To safeguard against food- and
water-borne disease, microbiologists routinely screen our drinking water for bacterial pathogens.
Animal feces contain coliform bacteria, microorganisms that inhabit the intestines of warm-blooded
animals. Many coliform bacteria are also found on plants and in soil and water. Coliform bacteria are
not pathogens themselves, but their presence indicates the possibility of finding pathogens. In contrast,
fecal coliform bacteria such as Escherichia coli are found in feces, and their presence in drinking water
indicates fecal contamination. E. coli can also be a pathogen itself, so if E. coli is found in drinking
water there is a good chance that other pathogens are present, too.1
To detect E. coli and other coliform bacteria, microbiologists filter water samples and place the filter in
a Petri dish containing growth medium such as Endo agar. Microorganisms from the water grow and
form colonies, giving an estimate of the number of bacteria in each milliliter of water.
While E. coli forms colored, shiny colonies on Endo agar, other coliforms grow as white or clear
colonies.
Dark colonies = E. coli
White/clear colonies = coliform bacteria
White + Dark colonies = total coliform
bacteria.
The guidelines of maximum allowable limits for total coliforms in drinking and recreational waters vary
by state. Representative limits appear in the table below.2, 3, 4
Table 1. Maximum allowable limits of fecal coliform bacteria
(cells/100 ml)
Total Coliforms E. Coli Drinking Water 0 0 Recreational Waters 400 235
Questions
1. Why would we want to count the number of fecal coliforms in a water sample?
2. Do 400 coliforms per 100 milliliters strike you as very many?
3. How many other types of bacteria might be present in a normal water sample?
4. What problems might Mary encounter when she uses these techniques in Antarctica?
Case Study:
Bacteria are everywhereâon our skin, in our food, suspended in our drinking water. Although the
microbial majority is benign, a few bacterial species can make us sick. To safeguard against food- and
water-borne disease, microbiologists routinely screen our drinking water for bacterial pathogens.
Animal feces contain coliform bacteria, microorganisms that inhabit the intestines of warm-blooded
animals. Many coliform bacteria are also found on plants and in soil and water. Coliform bacteria are
not pathogens themselves, but their presence indicates the possibility of finding pathogens. In contrast,
fecal coliform bacteria such as Escherichia coli are found in feces, and their presence in drinking water
indicates fecal contamination. E. coli can also be a pathogen itself, so if E. coli is found in drinking
water there is a good chance that other pathogens are present, too.1
To detect E. coli and other coliform bacteria, microbiologists filter water samples and place the filter in
a Petri dish containing growth medium such as Endo agar. Microorganisms from the water grow and
form colonies, giving an estimate of the number of bacteria in each milliliter of water.
While E. coli forms colored, shiny colonies on Endo agar, other coliforms grow as white or clear
colonies.
Dark colonies = E. coli
White/clear colonies = coliform bacteria
White + Dark colonies = total coliform
bacteria.
The guidelines of maximum allowable limits for total coliforms in drinking and recreational waters vary
by state. Representative limits appear in the table below.2, 3, 4
| Table 1. Maximum allowable limits of fecal coliform bacteria (cells/100 ml) |
| Total Coliforms | E. Coli | |
| Drinking Water | 0 | 0 |
| Recreational Waters | 400 | 235 |
Questions
1. Why would we want to count the number of fecal coliforms in a water sample?
2. Do 400 coliforms per 100 milliliters strike you as very many?
3. How many other types of bacteria might be present in a normal water sample?
4. What problems might Mary encounter when she uses these techniques in Antarctica?
