What organism is most easily identified by laboratory analysis in water contaminated by feces?

What organism is most easily identified by laboratory analysis in water contaminated by feces?

• A. Streptococcus
• B. Coliform
• C. Salmonella
• D. Giardia

Answer: (B)

The most easily identified organism in water contaminated by feces is coliform bacteria. Coliforms serve as key indicators of fecal contamination because they are commonly found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals and humans. Their presence in water suggests that pathogens typical of fecal origin may also be present, posing a risk to public health. Routine testing for coliforms involves relatively simple and rapid laboratory methods, which makes it practical for water quality assessment. They can be fermented at temperatures that approximate those in the environment, allowing for easy cultivation and enumeration. While other organisms, such as Streptococcus, Salmonella, and Giardia, are relevant in the context of fecal contamination, they are often not as routinely used as coliforms for general water quality monitoring due to more complex detection methods or their lower populations in environments compared to coliforms. The broader category of coliform bacteria, which includes both total and fecal coliforms, provides a reliable screening method for assessing the microbiological safety of water sources.

The most easily identified organism in water contaminated by feces is coliform bacteria. Coliforms serve as key indicators of fecal contamination because they are commonly found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals and humans. Their presence in water suggests that pathogens typical of fecal origin may also be present, posing a risk to public health.

Routine testing for coliforms involves relatively simple and rapid laboratory methods, which makes it practical for water quality assessment. They can be fermented at temperatures that approximate those in the environment, allowing for easy cultivation and enumeration.

While other organisms, such as Streptococcus, Salmonella, and Giardia, are relevant in the context of fecal contamination, they are often not as routinely used as coliforms for general water quality monitoring due to more complex detection methods or their lower populations in environments compared to coliforms. The broader category of coliform bacteria, which includes both total and fecal coliforms, provides a reliable screening method for assessing the microbiological safety of water sources.