Shiga Toxin–producing Escherichia coli Serogroups in Food and Patients, Germany

Abstract

We compared 61 Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serogroups from 448 food isolates with 71 STEC serogroups from 1,447 isolates from patients in Germany. Two thirds (41/61), representing 72% of food isolates, were also found in patients. Serogroups typically isolated from patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome were rarely found in food.

Keywords

• Escherichia coli O157
• Shiga toxin
• food
• food poisoning
• public health
• diarrhea