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Overview of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli.

Author(s) : NEILL M. A.

Type of article: Article

Summary

Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli are a recently described class of diarrheagenic E. coli. The most prominent member of this group, serotype O157:H7, is a well-recognized cause of hemmorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This serious human pathogen has caused numerous outbreaks (ground beef, apple cider, and lettuce). Serotypes other than O157:H7 have also been found to cause sporadic enteric disease. The non-O157 Shiga-like toxins producing E. coli are more frequently present in food animals and foods of animal origin. Particular non-O157 serotypes (such as O26) have a definite association with HUS. There may be important differences in the distribution of serotypes causing HUS in different geographic areas. While more than 100 serotypes of E. coli have been identified as possessing one or more Shiga-like toxin genes, far fewer than that number have been convincingly associated with human illness.

Details

  • Original title: Overview of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli.
  • Record ID : 1999-0163
  • Languages: English
  • Source: Journal of Food Protection - vol. 60 - n. 11
  • Publication date: 1997/11
  • Document available for consultation in the library of the IIR headquarters only.

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