Predominant gram-positive bacteria in human feces: numbers, variety, and persistence

The predominant gram-positive bacteria in 47 fecal specimens from 10 healthy men were studied by microscopic and cultural counts, by the characterization and tentative identification of isolates, and by the use of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated globulins prepared using some of the isolates. Gram-positive bacteria averaged 10(10.5+/-0.4(sd)/g (wet weight) of feces with significant variation from host to host. Characterization of 865 isolates, all strict anaerobes and carbohydrate fermenters, showed 12 to 39 distinguishable strains from each host and indicated that some strains were present the full period of about 18 months. Sixty percent of the isolates belonged to one of five types, tentatively identified with five species-Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Eubacterium aerofaciens, E. rectale, Peptostreptococcus productus, and Ruminococcus bromii. There was distinct host idiosyncrasy in the pattern of estimated counts of these five types. Certain strains resembling B. adolescentis, E. aerofaciens, and P. productus, distinguished with FITC conjugates, were resident in their hosts for many months. In direct smears each strain constituted about 1% of the total bacteria.