TABLE 2.
Comparison of autolysis detection methods
| Detection method | Potential of mixed-population analyses | Sensitivity to autolysis | Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| CFU measurement | Low | Not sensitive (5) | Cells may form aggregates; cells may be nonculturable but still not lysed (5) |
| A600 measurement | Not possible | Medium | Influenced by extracellular material |
| Electron microscopy (26) | Low | Medium | No quantification can be made |
| BacLight (5) | Not possible | Medium | Quantification is difficult (26) |
| Intracellular metabolic enzyme, e.g., LDH (9, 30) | Mediuma | High | Sensitive to enzyme activity |
| Immunological (10, 46) | Medium | High | Difficulty in identifying species-specific immunological markers and in obtaining quantitative results |
| DNA array | High | High | Sensitive to DNA degradation |