Incidence of Enterococcus termitis in Cheese Whey

Enterococcus is one of the most predominant genus in milk, dairy products, and dairy effluents. The present study aimed to study the presence of Enterococcus termitis in dairy effluent (cheese whey) samples which were collected from different Egyptian dairy plants. Samples were surface plated on plates of TSA medium using miles-misra plating method. 13 isolates out of 86 bacterial isolates were suspected to belong to the genus Enterococcus. Suspected isolates were examined morphologically. Additionally, several biochemical tests like catalase, starch hydrolysis, citrate utilization, caseinase, lysine decarboxylase, lysine deaminase, H2S production, Esculine hydrolysis and growth on MSA medium were applied on the isolates. Moreover, the suspected isolates were examined for the ability to ferment Lactose, Glucose, Galactose, Fructose, dextrose, Mannose, Ribose, Xylose, and Manitol. Results of morphological and biochemical testes indicated that the examined isolates are Enterococcus termitis. Results of 16s RNA sequencing indicated that the examined strains are Enterococcus termitis strain LMG 8895.