title: The use of sorbitol-MacConkey agar in conjunction with a specific antiserum for the detection of Vero cytotoxin-producing strains of Escherichia coli O 157.
abstract: Using DNA probes specific for the genes encoding Vero cytotoxins 1 and 2 in hybridization experiments on faecal samples, Vero cytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) of serogroup O 157 were detected in 21 of 63 cases of haemorrhagic colitis, 9 of 31 cases of non-bloody diarrhoea and 14 of 68 cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome. Compared with these results sorbitol-MacConkey agar in conjunction with a specific O 157 antiserum gave a sensitivity of 62% in haemorrhagic colitis, 56% in non-bloody diarrhoea and 57% in haemolytic uraemic syndrome. The specificity of this method was 100% in all three groups. This demonstrates that sorbitol-MacConkey agar is a useful screening method for the detection of VTEC of serogroup O 157 when used in conjunction with a specific homologous antiserum. However, this method does not detect VTEC belonging to other serogroups and such strains were found, particularly in cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000372:Agglutination Tests; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000382:microbiology*; D003470:Culture Media; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015342:DNA Probes; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D022622:Shiga Toxin 1; D013012:Sorbitol
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D003470:Culture Media; D003603:Cytotoxins; D015342:DNA Probes; D007106:Immune Sera; D022622:Shiga Toxin 1; D013012:Sorbitol