1887

Abstract

SUMMARY: Total counts were made of bacterial spore suspensions using counting slides with chamber depths of 0·02 mm. and of 0·10 mm. Sources of error were analysed. In addition to an inherent sampling error, significant variation between counts on replicate slides may result from: (i) variation in the depth of different counting chambers, (ii) variation in the fit of cover-glasses with counting chambers. The use of 0·10 mm. rather than 0·02 mm. depth slides results in a lower estimate of the total count of a spore suspension. The former slides give more reproducible counts; evidence for their greater accuracy has been obtained by a comparison of ‘percentage viability’ of spores determined by counting and by slide-culture techniques.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-29-1-97
1962-09-01
2024-12-09
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/micro/29/1/mic-29-1-97.html?itemId=/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-29-1-97&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Cook A. M., Yousef R. T. 1953; An improved pipette for measuring small volumes of bacterial suspensions. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 5:141
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Demain A. L. 1958; Minimal media for quantitative studies with Bacillus subtilis. J. Bact. 75:517
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Demain A. L., Newkirk J. F. 1960; Dissociation of spore germination from outgrowth by use of auxotrophic mutants of Bacillus subtilis. J. Bact. 79:783
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Fisher R. A., Yates F. 1955 Statistical Tables for Biological, Agricultural and Medical Research, 5th edition. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd;
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Fisher R. A. 1948 Statistical Methods for Research Workers, 10 th ed.. p. 81 Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd;
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Glynn E., Poweix M., Rees A. A., Cox G. L. 1913; Observations upon the standardisation of bacterial vaccines by the Wright, the haemocytometer, and the plate culture methods. J. Path. Bact. 18:379
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Halvorson H., Church B. 1957; Biochemistry of spores of aerobic bacilli with special reference to germination. Bact. Rev. 21:112
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Hyatt M. T., Levinson H. S. 1957; Sulfur requirement for postgerminative development of Bacillus megaterium spores. J. Bact. 74:87
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Hyatt M. T., Levinson H. S. 1959; Utilization of phosphates in the postgerminative development of spores of Bacillus megaterium. J. Bact. 77:487
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Jordan R. C., Jacobs S. E. 1944; The growth of bacteria with a constant food supply. 1. Preliminary observations on Bacterium coli. J. Bact. 48:579
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Johnson L. O. C. 1952; A method of measuring the depth of haemocytometer counting chamber cells. J. sci. Instrum. 29:130
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Kubitschek H. E. 1958; Electronic counting and sizing of bacteria. Nature, Lond. 182:234
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Norris K. P., Poweix E. O. 1961; Improvements in determining total counts of bacteria. J. roy. micr. Soc. 80:107
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Postgate J. R., Crumpton J. E., Hunter J. R. 1961; The measurement of bacterial viabilities by slide culture. J. gen. Microbiol. 24:15
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Powell E. O. 1957; The appearance of bacterial spores under phase contrast illumination. J. appl. Bact. 20:342
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Semenitz E. 1951; Eine neue Methode der Bakterienzahlung. Z. Hyg. Infekt.Kr.133–281
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Stearman R. L. 1955; Statistical concepts in microbiology. Bact. Rev. 19:160
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Student. 1907; On the error of counting with a haemocytometer. Biometrika 5:351
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Wilson G. S. 1922; The proportion of viable bacteria in young cultures with especial reference to the technique employed in counting. J. Bact. 7:405
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Wilson P. W., Kullman E. 1931; A statistical inquiry into methods for estimating numbers of Rhizobia. J. Bact. 22:71
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-29-1-97
Loading
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-29-1-97
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error