title: Search for Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) including 0157: H7 strains in and around Kolkata.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An attempt was made to isolate and characterize Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC) from animals handlers, animal products and admitted diarrhoeic children in and around Kolkata.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 415 samples were processed for detection of STEC by PCR and colony hybridization techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  0 (4.81%) samples were found to be positive for STEC. Diarrhoeic cattle accounted for maximum (22.1 %) isolation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study showed PCR to be more sensitive than hybridization technique for detection of STEC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Hygiene & Public Health, Kolkata - 700 073, India.
authors.forename: U K
authors.initials: UK
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dutta