Evaluation of Hicrome Coliform Agar for the Detection and Enumeration Total Coliform and E.Coli from Poultry Feed and Water Samples

EVALUATION OF HICROME COLIFORM AGAR FOR THE DETECTION AND ENUMERATION TOTAL COLIFORM AND E.coli FROM POULTRY FEED AND WATER SAMPLES

Thulasi Rajkumar, Sharon MacDonald, R. Kannan, R. Suresh Kumar and CN.Ramchand

Customer Laboratory Services

Kemin Nutritional Technologies (I) Pvt. Ltd.,

No: 39, The Trapezium, Second Floor, Nelson Manickam Road,

Chennai-600 029 Tamil Nadu, INDIA

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of Hicrome Coliform Agar medium for isolation and enumeration of Enterobactericae from poultry samples, to compare it to EMB agar and to evaluate its usefulness as a possible alternative selective medium in poultry studies. The medium was shown to be effective in identifying E.coli and coliforms in feed without the need for extensive accompanying biochemical tests for confirmation of identity. This study shows that Hicrome Coliform Agar is an effective replacement for EMB agar in poultry feed and water studies and has the advantage of differentiating E. coli from other coliforms.

Key words: Hicrome Coliform Agar, Coliforms, E.coli, Enumeration, Enterobactericae, Poultry feed and water.

INTRODUCTION

Coliforms are historically used as indicator microorganisms to serve as a measure of fecal contamination Although coliform bacteria themselves are not pathogenic, their presence indicates possible fecal contamination. Within the coliforms Escherichia coli is of particular interest since, its presence in the feed and water indicates that recent fecal contamination has occurred with the possibility of accompanying enteric pathogens. Conventional methods for detecting E.coli and coliforms by MacConkey and EMB agar are still practiced in many laboratories. These techniques will take 24 to 48 hours to enumerate and need further confirmatory biochemical tests for identification that will cost time and money.