Skip to main content
PMC home page
Applied Microbiology logoLink to Applied Microbiology
. 1974 May;27(5):961–979. doi: 10.1128/am.27.5.961-979.1974

Human Fecal Flora: The Normal Flora of 20 Japanese-Hawaiians

W E C Moore 1, Lillian V Holdeman 1
PMCID: PMC380185  PMID: 4598229

Abstract

Quantitative and qualitative examination of the fecal flora of 20 clinically healthy Japanese-Hawaiian males was carried out by using anaerobic tube culture techniques. Cultural counts were 93% of the microscopic clump counts. Isolated colonies were selected in a randomized manner to give an unbiased sampling of the viable bacterial types. Each isolate was characterized for species identification. From a total of 1,147 isolates, 113 distinct types of organisms were observed. Statistical estimates indicate that these types account for 94% of the viable cells in the feces. The quantitative composition of the flora of this group of people, together with differential characteristics of previously unreported species, is presented for those kinds of bacteria which each represented at least 0.05% of the flora.

Full text

PDF
961

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Akama K., Otani S. Clostridium perfringens as the flora in the intestine of healthy persons. Jpn J Med Sci Biol. 1970 Jun;23(3):161–175. doi: 10.7883/yoken1952.23.161. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Aries V., Crowther J. S., Drasar B. S., Hill M. J. Degradation of bile salts by human intestinal bacteria. Gut. 1969 Jul;10(7):575–576. doi: 10.1136/gut.10.7.575. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Aries V., Crowther J. S., Drasar B. S., Hill M. J., Williams R. E. Bacteria and the aetiology of cancer of the large bowel. Gut. 1969 May;10(5):334–335. doi: 10.1136/gut.10.5.334. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Aries V., Hill M. J. Degradation of steroids by intestinal bacteria. II. Enzymes catalysing the oxidoreduction of the 3 alpha-, 7 alpha- and 12 alpha-hydroxyl groups in cholic acid, and the dehydroxylation of the 7-hydroxyl group. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1970 May 5;202(3):535–543. doi: 10.1016/0005-2760(70)90124-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Attebery H. R., Sutter V. L., Finegold S. M. Effect of a partially chemically defined diet on normal human fecal flora. Am J Clin Nutr. 1972 Dec;25(12):1391–1398. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/25.12.1391. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. BRYANT M. P., SMALL N. The anaerobic monotrichous butyric acid-producing curved rod-shaped bacteria of the rumen. J Bacteriol. 1956 Jul;72(1):16–21. doi: 10.1128/jb.72.1.16-21.1956. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Bendig J., Haenel H., Braun I. Die faekale Mikroökologie bei Schulkindern. I. Die quantitative Zusammensetzung der Stuhlflora. Zentralbl Bakteriol Orig. 1968;209(1):81–89. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Bendig J., Haenel H., Braun I. Die faekale Mikroökologie bei Schulkindern. II. Systematische Zusammensetzung der sogenannten Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Gruppe und ihre Vorkommen. Zentralbl Bakteriol Orig. 1968;209(1):90–97. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Bornside G. H., Cohn I., Jr Intestinal antisepsis. Stability of fecal flora during mechanical cleansing. Gastroenterology. 1969 Nov;57(5):569–573. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Bornside G. H., Cohn I., Jr The normal microbial flora: comparative bacterial flora of animals and man. Am J Dig Dis. 1965 Oct;10(10):844–852. doi: 10.1007/BF02236093. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Cooke E. M. A quantitative comparison of the faecal flora of patients with ulcerative colitis and that of normal persons. J Pathol Bacteriol. 1967 Oct;94(2):439–444. doi: 10.1002/path.1700940225. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Drasar B. S. Cultivation of anaerobic intestinal bacteria. J Pathol Bacteriol. 1967 Oct;94(2):417–427. doi: 10.1002/path.1700940223. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Drasar B. S., Shiner M., McLeod G. M. Studies on the intestinal flora. I. The bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal tract in healthy and achlorhydric persons. Gastroenterology. 1969 Jan;56(1):71–79. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Eggerth A. H., Gagnon B. H. The Bacteroides of Human Feces. J Bacteriol. 1933 Apr;25(4):389–413. doi: 10.1128/jb.25.4.389-413.1933. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Eggerth A. H. The Gram-positive Non-spore-bearing Anaerobic Bacilli of Human Feces. J Bacteriol. 1935 Sep;30(3):277–299. doi: 10.1128/jb.30.3.277-299.1935. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Eller C., Crabill M. R., Bryant M. P. Anaerobic roll tube media for nonselective enumeration and isolation of bacteria in human feces. Appl Microbiol. 1971 Oct;22(4):522–529. doi: 10.1128/am.22.4.522-529.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. FINEGOLD S. M. Studies on antibiotics and the normal intestinal flora. Tex Rep Biol Med. 1951;9(3):432–444. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Finegold S. M., Harada N. E., Miller L. G. Lincomycin: activity against anaerobes and effect on normal human fecal flora. Antimicrob Agents Chemother (Bethesda) 1965;5:659–667. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Finegold S. M. Intestinal bacteria. The role they play in normal physiology, pathologic physiology, and infection. Calif Med. 1969 Jun;110(6):455–459. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. GASSFR E. IDENTIFICATION DES LACTOBACILLUS F'ECAUX. Ann Inst Pasteur (Paris) 1964 May;106:778–796. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Gorbach S. L., Nahas L., Lerner P. I., Weinstein L. Studies of intestinal microflora. I. Effects of diet, age, and periodic sampling on numbers of fecal microorganisms in man. Gastroenterology. 1967 Dec;53(6):845–855. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Gorbach S. L., Neale G., Levitan R., Hepner G. W. Alterations in human intestinal microflora during experimental diarrhoea. Gut. 1970 Jan;11(1):1–6. doi: 10.1136/gut.11.1.1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Grobach S. L. On the intestinal flora. Gastroenterology. 1969 Aug;57(2):231–232. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. HUNGATE R. E. The anaerobic mesophilic cellulolytic bacteria. Bacteriol Rev. 1950 Mar;14(1):1–49. doi: 10.1128/br.14.1.1-49.1950. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Haenel H. Human normal and abnormal gastrointestinal flora. Am J Clin Nutr. 1970 Nov;23(11):1433–1439. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/23.11.1433. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Hill M. J., Drasar B. S. Degradation of bile salts by human intestinal bacteria. Gut. 1968 Feb;9(1):22–27. doi: 10.1136/gut.9.1.22. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Hill M. J., Drasar B. S., Hawksworth G., Aries V., Crowther J. S., Williams R. E. Bacteria and aetiology of cancer of large bowel. Lancet. 1971 Jan 16;1(7690):95–100. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(71)90837-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Hill M. J., Goddard P., Williams R. E. Gut bacteria and aetiology of cancer of the breast. Lancet. 1971 Aug 28;2(7722):472–473. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(71)92634-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Ingram M. Symposium on microbial changes in foods. Microbial changes in foods--general considerations. J Appl Bacteriol. 1971 Mar;34(1):1–8. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1971.tb02264.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Levison M. E., Kaye D. Fecal flora in man: effect of cathartic. J Infect Dis. 1969 Jun;119(6):591–596. doi: 10.1093/infdis/119.6.591. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Lewis K. H., Rettger L. F. Non-Sporulating Anaerobic Bacteria of the Intestinal Tract : I. Occurrence and Taxonomic Relationships. J Bacteriol. 1940 Aug;40(2):287–307. doi: 10.1128/jb.40.2.287-307.1940. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Mata L. J., Carrillo C., Villatoro E. Fecal microflora in health persons in a preindustrial region. Appl Microbiol. 1969 Apr;17(4):596–602. doi: 10.1128/am.17.4.596-602.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Mitsuoka T. Vergleichende Untersuchungen über die Bifidobakterien aus dem Verdauungstakt von Menschen und Tieren (Zugleich die Beschreibung von B, thermophilum nov. spec. und B. pseudolongum nov. spec) Zentralbl Bakteriol Orig. 1969 May;210(1):52–64. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Mitsuoka T. Vergleichende Untersuchungen über die Laktobazillen aus den Faeces von Menschen, Schweinen und Hühnern. Zentralbl Bakteriol Orig. 1969 May;210(1):32–51. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Moore W. E., Cato E. P., Holdeman L. V. Anaerobic bacteria of the gastrointestinal flora and their occurrence in clinical infections. J Infect Dis. 1969 Jun;119(6):641–649. doi: 10.1093/infdis/119.6.641. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Nottingham P. M., Hungate R. E. Isolation of methanogenic bacteria from feces of man. J Bacteriol. 1968 Dec;96(6):2178–2179. doi: 10.1128/jb.96.6.2178-2179.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. REUTER G. VERGLEICHENDE UNTERSUCHUNGEN UEBER DIE BIFIDUS-FLORA IM SAEUGLINGS- UND ERWACHSENENSTUHL. ZUGLEICH EIN BEITRAG ZUR SYSTEMATISIERUNG UND NOMENKLATUR DER BIFIDUS-KEIME. Zentralbl Bakteriol Orig. 1963;191:486–507. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Reinhold L. Untersuchungen zur Konstanz fäkaler Biotypen der Gattung Eggerthella bei gesunden Personen. Zentralbl Bakteriol Orig. 1968 May;207(1):47–54. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Savage D. C., Dubos R., Schaedler R. W. The gastrointestinal epithelium and its autochthonous bacterial flora. J Exp Med. 1968 Jan 1;127(1):67–76. doi: 10.1084/jem.127.1.67. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. Speck R. S., Calloway D. H., Hadley W. K. Human fecal flora under controlled diet intake. Am J Clin Nutr. 1970 Nov;23(11):1488–1494. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/23.11.1488. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  41. Van Houte J., Gibbons R. J. Studies of the cultivable flora of normal human feces. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek. 1966;32(2):212–222. doi: 10.1007/BF02097463. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  42. Weiss J. E., Rettger L. F. The Gram-negative Bacteroides of the Intestine. J Bacteriol. 1937 Apr;33(4):423–434. doi: 10.1128/jb.33.4.423-434.1937. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  43. Werner H., Reichertz C., Schröter G. Der Bacteroides-Anteil der menschlichen Darmflora. Zentralbl Bakteriol Orig. 1970;212(2):530–537. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  44. Wiel-Korstanje JA van D., Winkler K. C. Medium for differential count of the anaerobic flora in human feces. Appl Microbiol. 1970 Jul;20(1):168–169. doi: 10.1128/am.20.1.168-169.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  45. Zubrzycki L., Spaulding E. H. STUDIES ON THE STABILITY OF THE NORMAL HUMAN FECAL FLORA. J Bacteriol. 1962 May;83(5):968–974. doi: 10.1128/jb.83.5.968-974.1962. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES