SORBITOL-NEGATIVE PHENOTYPE AMONG ENTEROHEMORRHAGIC ESCHERICHIA-COLI STRAINS OF DIFFERENT SEROTYPES AND FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) strains detected with DNA pr obes (for virulence plasmid and Shiga-like toxins) from subjects with hemolytic-uremic syndrome (n = 19) or diarrhea (n = 41) or asymptomati c carriers (n = 29) were examined for sorbitol fermentability, as were enterotoxigenic (n = 40), enteropathogenic (n = 40), and enteroinvasi ve (n = 40) E. coli and urinary tract infection (n = 40) strains and n ormal flora E. coli strains (n = 40). Sorbitol negativity was commonon ly in EHEC, particularly among strains from severe clinical infections . All 19 EHEC strains from patients with hemolytic-uremic syndrome, ir respective of O:H serotype or Shiga-like toxin genotype, were sorbitol negative.