Pak. J. Bot., 38(3): 779-789, 2006. | Back to Contents | ||||
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Updated: 09-07-09 | ||||
MANIPULATION OF DIFFERENT MEDIA AND METHODS FOR COST-EFFECTIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF ESCHERICHIA COLI STRAINS COLLECTED FROM DIFFERENT HABITATS RUBINA ARSHAD, SHAFQAT FAROOQ AND SAYYED SHAHID ALI** Abstract: Rapid and reliable identification of about 400 isolates of Escherichia
coli collected from soil, water, plants and animal faeces was made
by membrane filtration (MF), culture media and biochemical methods.
Utilization of three types of selective and differential agar media
(MacConkey, Eosin Methylene Blue: EBM and Endo agar) rather than one
increased the chances of successful isolation/identification. The identified
bacteria were re-confirmed through the use of biochemical (IMViC) tests,
and diagnostic kits made for this purpose. The results obtained after
comparative studies indicated that isolation media and methods used
in the present study are not only simple and reliable for large-scale
bacterial identification but at the same time are more cost-effective
compared to commercially available diagnostic kits. It is anticipated
that by using such methods, isolation and identification of E. coli
can be done effectively without importing expensive diagnostic kits,
which is most often difficult especially in the developing countries
and thus becomes limiting factor for microbiological investigations.
Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), P.O. Box 128, Jhang Road, Faisalabad-Pakistan. ** Department of Zoology, University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore, Pakistan. Corresponding Author: Telephone #: 92-041-2654221-28; Fax: 92-041-2654213; arshadrubina@hotmail.com, rubinafsd@nexlinx.net.pk |
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