Question:
The organism which is NOT an indicator of fecal pollution is
The organism which is NOT an indicator of fecal pollution is
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True fecal indicator organisms live mainly in the gut, not on the skin.
Updated On: Jul 7, 2026
- Staphylococcus
- Streptococcus
- E.coli
- Clostridium perfringens
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The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept.
An indicator organism for fecal pollution is a bacterium whose presence in water reliably points to contamination with human or animal feces, since it normally lives in the gut and is passed out in stool. The question wants the organism among the options that does not fit this role.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach.
Each organism should be checked for where it naturally lives in or on the body. Organisms that mainly live in the gut and are consistently shed in feces are true fecal indicators, while organisms that mainly live elsewhere, such as the skin, are not.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation.
Staphylococcus is mainly found on the skin and in the nose, and while it can sometimes reach water through human contact or shedding of skin, it is not consistently or specifically linked to fecal contamination the way true gut organisms are. This makes it the correct answer to the question.
Streptococcus, specifically the fecal streptococci group such as Streptococcus faecalis, lives in the human gut and is regularly used as a fecal indicator organism, especially useful for confirming pollution when combined with E.coli testing.
E.coli is the single most important and widely used indicator of fecal pollution in water, since it lives almost exclusively in the intestines of humans and warm blooded animals and is shed in large numbers in feces.
Clostridium perfringens forms tough spores that survive in water for a long time even after the fecal contamination event has passed, making it a useful indicator of past or intermittent fecal pollution that other, more fragile organisms might miss.
Step 4: Final Answer.
Staphylococcus is not an indicator of fecal pollution, since it is primarily a skin organism rather than a gut organism.
An indicator organism for fecal pollution is a bacterium whose presence in water reliably points to contamination with human or animal feces, since it normally lives in the gut and is passed out in stool. The question wants the organism among the options that does not fit this role.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach.
Each organism should be checked for where it naturally lives in or on the body. Organisms that mainly live in the gut and are consistently shed in feces are true fecal indicators, while organisms that mainly live elsewhere, such as the skin, are not.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation.
Staphylococcus is mainly found on the skin and in the nose, and while it can sometimes reach water through human contact or shedding of skin, it is not consistently or specifically linked to fecal contamination the way true gut organisms are. This makes it the correct answer to the question.
Streptococcus, specifically the fecal streptococci group such as Streptococcus faecalis, lives in the human gut and is regularly used as a fecal indicator organism, especially useful for confirming pollution when combined with E.coli testing.
E.coli is the single most important and widely used indicator of fecal pollution in water, since it lives almost exclusively in the intestines of humans and warm blooded animals and is shed in large numbers in feces.
Clostridium perfringens forms tough spores that survive in water for a long time even after the fecal contamination event has passed, making it a useful indicator of past or intermittent fecal pollution that other, more fragile organisms might miss.
Step 4: Final Answer.
Staphylococcus is not an indicator of fecal pollution, since it is primarily a skin organism rather than a gut organism.
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