A CONDUCTANCE ASSAY FOR THE DETECTION AND ENUMERATION OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI

A conductance medium (GT) to detect Escherichia coli, including haemorrhagic 0157 strains, is described. It is based on their ability to ferment D-glucuronic acid and reduce trimethylamine-oxide thus producing a large conductance change. Some strains of Salmonella and Citrobacter gave false positive results, but not other bacteria including Shigella. E. coli enumeration is achieved by calibrating between conductance detection times and log counts of E. coli grown on selective agar. © 1993 Academic Press. All rights reserved.