Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques, and Equipment

Microbial Colony Count

Enumeration by direct count of viable, isolated bacterial, archaeal, or fungal CELLS or SPORES capable of growth on solid CULTURE MEDIA. The method is used routinely by environmental microbiologists for quantifying organisms in AIR; FOOD; and WATER; by clinicians for measuring patients' microbial load; and in antimicrobial drug testing.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

Enumeration by direct count of viable, isolated bacterial, archaeal, or fungal CELLS or SPORES capable of growth on solid CULTURE MEDIA. The method is used routinely by environmental microbiologists for quantifying organisms in AIR; FOOD; and WATER; by clinicians for measuring patients' microbial load; and in antimicrobial drug testing.

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

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MeSH Record

See Also

MeSH Record

Synonyms

34 entry terms
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Colony Forming Units Assay, Microbial
  • Colony Forming Units Assays, Microbial
  • Colony-Forming Units Assay, Microbial
  • Colony Counts, Microbial
  • Count, Microbial Colony
  • Counts, Microbial Colony
  • Microbial Colony Counts
  • Agar Dilution Count
  • Fungal Count
  • Pour Plate Count
  • Spore Count
  • Spread Plate Count
  • Streak Plate Count
  • Agar Dilution Counts
  • Count, Agar Dilution
  • Count, Fungal
  • Count, Pour Plate
  • Count, Spore
  • Count, Spread Plate
  • Count, Streak Plate
  • Counts, Agar Dilution
  • Counts, Fungal
  • Counts, Pour Plate
  • Counts, Spore
  • Counts, Spread Plate
  • Counts, Streak Plate
  • Dilution Count, Agar
  • Dilution Counts, Agar
  • Fungal Counts
  • Pour Plate Counts
  • Spore Counts
  • Spread Plate Counts
  • Streak Plate Counts

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

10 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings classification, economics, ethics, history, instrumentation, methods, standards, statistics & numerical data, trends, veterinary.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

coordinate NIM with organism /growth or /isol (IM) as appropriate

MeSH Record

History Note

89

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Bacteriological Techniques (1967-1988)
  • Microbiological Techniques (1978-1988)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. E01w.370.225.875.220
  2. E05.200.875.220

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Microbial Colony Count. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D015169. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D015169
  2. Microbial Colony Count. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q72389264