Distribution of Motile Streptococci in Feces of Man and Animals and in River and Sea Water

Abstract

Attempts were made to isolate motile streptococci from fecal samples of man and animals, as well as from samples of river and sea water. A wide distribution of motile streptococci in these samples was found. The results obtained, including those of electron microscopic observation of flagella of these organisms, are summarized as follows.
1. The detection rate of motile streptococci from feces was 26%(13/50) in man, 46.6%(14/30) in chickens, 50%(5/10) in turkeys, 65%(13/20) in sheep, 20%(4/20) in cattle, 3.3%(1/30) in dogs, and 72%(18/25) in mice, and that from river water was 14 %(7/50) and that from sea water 50%(6/12).
2. Of the 104 isolates of motile streptococci, 92 were Streptococcus faecium, 5 atypical enterococci, 4S. bovis, and 3 unclassified. Accordingly, most of the isolates belonged to enterococci, and a few were different from enterococci.
3. Electron microscopic observation of motile streptococci revealed that these organisms contained a high percentage of flagellated cells when they were cultivated at low temperature; namely, 49% at 25 C, 14.7% at 30 C and only 1.3% at 37C.
4. The number of flagella per cell was usually 1. In some exceptional cases it was 2 or 3. The flagella ranged from 1 to more than 10μin length and approximately 7.5 mp in diameter. Coils of flagella of regular wavelength and amplitude were occasionally found.