Verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) infection in randomly selected population of Ilam Province (Iran).

In a randomly selected population, 2,008 fecal samples were screened for presence of Verotoxin producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) by colony sweep polymyxin-B extraction method. Non-sorbitol fermentation (NSF) phenotype and slide agglutination with O157: H7 antisera were used for screening and detection of this serotype. Ninety-eight (4.9%) fecal samples were found to be VTEC-positives and none of them belonged to the O157: H7 serotype. In rural areas, most individuals carrying VTEC isolates were asymptomatic, whereas in urban areas, a significant association was found between VTEC isolation and diarrhoea (p < 0.01).