title: Prevalence of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli as detected by enzyme-linked immunoassays and real-time PCR during the summer months in northern Alberta, Canada.
abstract: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in northern Alberta was detected using two enzyme immunoassays and an in-house real-time PCR. Of 2,328 stool samples, 8 were positive for O157:H7 STEC and 13 were positive for non-O157 STEC. No significant gender (P = 0.17) or age (P = 0.81) differences between groups were seen. Most positive diarrheal stool samples were nonbloody.
authors.affiliation: Alberta Provincial Laboratory for Public Health, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Linda.Chui@albertahealthservices.ca
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chui
authors.forename: Mao-Cheng
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Malejczyk
authors.forename: Lillian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fok
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kwong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000416:Alberta / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012703:Serotyping; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult