ENUMERATION OF INTESTINAL ENTEROCOCCI AND INTERFERING ORGANISMS WITH SLANETZ-BARTLEY AGAR, KF STREPTOCOCCUS AGAR AND THE MUST METHOD

The recovery of intestinal species of enterococci and streptococci and potentially interfering nonfaecal species was measured on KF streptoc occus agar, Slanetz-Bartley agar and in a medium based on 4-methylumbe lliferyl-beta-D-glucoside (MUST method) using pure cultures. Both of t he solid media yielded high recoveries of the target species. Their se lectivity was better at elevated incubation temperature but nonfaecal Enterococcus and Staphylococcus species were not eliminated even at th e elevated temperature. The MUST method tended to give slightly lower recoveries than the agar cultivation methods with some target species at 44 degrees C but recoveries were better at 41 degrees C.