Preliminary investigation on culturable gut bacteria and their relationship with bowel movement frequency using plate count agar

Date of Publication

4-2025

Document Type

Bachelor's Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Biology major in Medical Biology

Subject Categories

Microbiology

College

College of Science

Department/Unit

Biology

Thesis Advisor

Jowi Tsidkenu Cruz
James Christopher Chua

Defense Panel Chair

Llewelyn Moron-Espiritu

Defense Panel Member

Mary Jane C. Flores
Billy Joel M. Almarinez

Abstract (English)

The human gut microbiota plays a vital role in digestion, intestinal motility, and microbial homeostasis. This study aimed to explore the relationship between bowel movement frequency and the growth of culturable gut bacteria, particularly facultative anaerobes, using a culture-based approach. Stool samples were collected from 50 adult participants and plated on Plate Count Agar (PCA) using the pour plate method. Colony counts were recorded from plates within the accepted 30–300 range and verified using ImageJ software. Bowel movement frequency was assessed using a validated 7-day recall questionnaire, supported by the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS) and gastrointestinal symptom scores. Participants were classified as either Normal or Constipated based on these tools. While no statistical analyses were performed, descriptive observations revealed that participants with regular bowel movements generally exhibited higher colony counts compared to those classified as constipated. These findings suggest that increased bowel frequency may support the growth of viable facultative anaerobes, potentially due to improved gut transit, consistent nutrient turnover, and reduced microbial stagnation. Culture-based enumeration provided functional insights into viable bacterial populations and highlighted the value of non-molecular methods in microbiota research. This preliminary investigation offers foundational evidence for the link between gut motility and culturable microbial viability, paving the way for future studies incorporating molecular techniques, triplicate sampling, and longitudinal tracking.

Keywords: Gut microbiota, facultative anaerobes, bowel movement frequency, stool consistency, constipation, culture-based enumeration, ImageJ, Plate Count Agar (PCA)

Abstract Format

html

Abstract (Filipino)

"-"

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Keywords

Plate counts (Microbiology); Stools; Gastrointestinal system

Upload Full Text

wf_yes

Embargo Period

4-11-2025

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS