Definition: A verocytotoxin-producing serogroup belonging to the O subfamily of Escherichia coli which has been shown to cause severe food-borne disease. A strain from this serogroup, serotype H7, which produces SHIGA TOXINS, has been linked to human disease outbreaks resulting from contamination of foods by E. coli O157 from bovine origin.
infection: coordinate IM with ESCHERICHIA COLI INFECTIONS (IM); consider also HEMOLYTIC-UREMIC SYNDROME; in titles & translations use O157 (the letter O), not 0157 (the number zero)
Other names Escherichia coli O157-H7; E coli O157-H7; E coli O157
