Use of fecal streptococci as indicators of pollution in soil.

The survival, recovery, and identification of Streptococcus isolates from soil was investigated by (i) examination of survival in soil under different moisture and temperature conditions, (ii) evaluation of media combinations for recovering fecal streptococci from soil, and (iii) partial identification of isolates from diverse habitats. Cool, moist conditions prolonged the survival of Streptococcus faecalis in soil for at least 12 weeks, whereas freezing was lethal, with the populations being reduced up to 95% when several freeze-thaw treatments occurred. Media evaluations indicated that both the efficiency of recovery and enumeration of the fecal streptococci from soil can be influenced by the combination of media used. Taxonomic data revealed a need to develop procedures to differentiate between isolates of fecal origin and plant-derived streptococci that possess many of the cultural reactions of S. faecalis. It was found that recent fecal isolates exhibited a much greater incidence of multiple antibiotic resistance than soil or vegetation isolates, and this characteristic, coupled with the use of enterococci as indicators of fecal contamination in soil systems, is discussed.