Frequency of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 isolation from stool specimens

Abstract

During a 6-month period, 7252 faeces specimens were examined for Escherichia coli serotype0157:H7. Forty-nine specimens (0.7%) from 19 patients yielded this organism. Escherichia coli 0157:H7 was the third most frequently isolated bacterial pathogen, following Campylobacter jejuni and (or) Salmonella sp. Although regional variation between laboratories determined whether Campylobacter jejuni or Salmonella was the primary bacterial pathogen isolated, E. coli 0157:H7 was consistently isolated more frequently than either Shigella or Yersinia enterocolitica.