APPLICATION OF MULTIPLEX PCR FOR DETECTION OF NON-O157 VEROCYTOTOXIN-PRODUCING ESCHERICHIA-COLI IN BLOODY STOOLS - IDENTIFICATION OF SEROGROUPS O26 AND O111

Primers were designed to amplify sequences of verocytotoxin genes and eat A genes of Escherichia coli O26: H11, O111:H8, and O157:H7 in a mu ltiplex PCR assay. This assay successfully detected E. coli O26:H11 in bloody stool specimens in which other enteric pathogens were not dete cted by culture-based methods. Rapid assays to detect non-O157:H7 vero cytotoxin-producing E. coli is important to improve methods for the et iologic diagnosis of hemorrhagic colitis.