title: Evaluation of Enterolert for enumeration of enterococci in recreational waters.
abstract: Enterolert (IDEXX Laboratories Inc., Westbrook, Maine), a semiautomated, most probable number method for enumeration of enterococci, was compared with the standard membrane filter method by parallel testing of 138 marine and freshwater recreational bathing water samples. No statistically significant difference and a strong linear correlation were found between methods. Culturing of 501 Enterolert test wells resulted in false-positive and false-negative rates of 5.1 and 0.4%, respectively. Less time for setup, incubation (24 versus 48 h), and reading of Enterolert permits more efficient monitoring of recreational bathing areas.
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Services, State of Connecticut Department of Public Health, Hartford 06106, USA.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Budnick
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Mayo
mesh_terms: D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000379:methods*; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000382:microbiology; D005960:Glucosides; D006923:Hymecromone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005960:Glucosides; D006923:Hymecromone