Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli: a veterinary view

This overview places verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) in per spective with other E. coli types that cause disease in animals. VTEC O157 and other verocytotoxin-producing serotypes cause severe disease in man but to date, although other VTEC are found in animals, zoonosis appears to be associated with E. coli O157 only. The epidemiology of E. coli O157 in catt le has been studied in Scotland, and this work is described alongside curre nt knowledge.