Escherichia coli is the predominant species of normal aerobic and facultative anaerobic microbiota found
in the digestive tract of many species of animals, and it is excreted from the body through faeces. It can
be found outside the body as it can survive for a certain period in water and in food. Its isolate in these
elements is indicative of faecal contamination. Although most strains of E. coli are commensals and
even beneficial, some are pathogens and can cause serious enteric infections ... or extraintestinal infections ... in humans and
animals.The verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) group, also known as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and
enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), especially the highly virulent strains of the serotype O157:H7, is a
dangerous group of pathogens which causes very serious diseases in human beings: hemorrhagic colitis
(HC) and the haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). Ruminants, especially cattle, are the main reservoir of
this type of micro-organism, while the primary means of transmission are minced meat, hamburgers and
vegetables which are consumed raw or lightly cooked.
The necessary preventative measures, covering the whole food chain, should consequently be put
in place. ... Also, workers in the food industry must adopt procedures based on the principles of
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), and consumers must be taught the good
practices of preserving and cooking food. All of these measures should help minimise the incidence
of this food poisoning in human populations. These measures should, furthermore, be combined with
specific analysis protocols which enable quick and accurate detection of the strains involved, and more specifically, the highly virulent strains belonging to the serotypes: O104:H4, O157:H7, O26:H11,
O103:H2, O111:H8, O121:H19 and O145:H-
in the digestive tract of many species of animals, and it is excreted from the body through faeces. It can
be found outside the body as it can survive for a certain period in water and in food. Its isolate in these
elements is indicative of faecal contamination. Although most strains of E. coli are commensals and
even beneficial, some are pathogens and can cause serious enteric infections ... or extraintestinal infections ... in humans and
animals.The verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) group, also known as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and
enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), especially the highly virulent strains of the serotype O157:H7, is a
dangerous group of pathogens which causes very serious diseases in human beings: hemorrhagic colitis
(HC) and the haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). Ruminants, especially cattle, are the main reservoir of
this type of micro-organism, while the primary means of transmission are minced meat, hamburgers and
vegetables which are consumed raw or lightly cooked.
The necessary preventative measures, covering the whole food chain, should consequently be put
in place. ... Also, workers in the food industry must adopt procedures based on the principles of
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), and consumers must be taught the good
practices of preserving and cooking food. All of these measures should help minimise the incidence
of this food poisoning in human populations. These measures should, furthermore, be combined with
specific analysis protocols which enable quick and accurate detection of the strains involved, and more specifically, the highly virulent strains belonging to the serotypes: O104:H4, O157:H7, O26:H11,
O103:H2, O111:H8, O121:H19 and O145:H-