Bacteria

Bacteria are microscopic organisms not visible to the naked eye. These tiny organisms are everywhere, both inside and outside of your body. They survive in a variety of environments and while some are necessary for life others can make you extremely sick. At Microbial Express Labs we offer a complete testing service that not only detects the presence or absence of sewage-related bacteria, we also quickly identify and enumerate them. 

Coliform bacteria are natural inhabitants of the environment and the intestinal tract of warm-blooded animals. It is their presence in drinking water that indicates that disease-causing organisms (pathogens) could be in the water system. A Total Coliform test is used as an overall indication of sanitation efficiency. The presence of total coliform, by itself, does not imply that the resource is contaminated, but it can reveal that one, if not more of the more serious types of harmful bacteria, such as fecal or E. coli bacteria, may be present. 

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the major species in the fecal coliform (FC) group and is the best indicator of fecal pollution and the possible presence of pathogens or disease-causing organisms. 

E. coli bacteria are found in greater quantities than Total Coliform in animal fecal matter. Our Total Coliform test detects the presence of Total Coliform and E. coli. If E. coli is detected along with Total Coliform in drinking water, there is strong evidence that sewage is present. As a result, a greater potential for pathogenic organisms to exist. 

At Microbial Express Labs we offer a second layer to this test. In addition to the traditional test mentioned above, our Complete Fecal Coliform test adds the detection of Enerococcus faecalis. E. Faecalis  is also a fecal indicator organism and one of the various microorganisms used a positive control in the examination of water for human consumption. E. faecalis is a very stable bacterium. Its ability to survive in harsh conditions is greater than that of E. coli and in recent years there has been an increase in its resistance to many once used antibiotics. 

 A positive test implies a risk that pathogenic species may be present. Testing for bacteria is the only reliable way to know if your water is safe. You cannot determine the presence of disease-causing organisms by look, taste, or smell. 

It is recommended that well owners test their water for coliform bacteria at least once a year and more frequently if bacteria have been a problem in the past. Our trusted labs not only provide the detection of but also will enumerate the number of Coliforms/​Escherichia coli​ (​E. coli​), and Enterococcus faecalis bacteria. We provide fast, accurate results you can trust!