Two sorbitol-fermenting (SF) Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H- strains were isolated from patients with hemolytic-uremic syndrome in the Czech Republic in 1995. Their phenotypic and genotypic characteristics and genomic DNA fingerprints were identical or closely related to those of SF STEC O157:H- strains isolated in Germany in 1988 to 1997. This indicates that the Czech isolates belong to the SF STEC O157 clone which is widespread in Germany. It is the first finding of the clone outside Germany.

Institute of Medical Microbiology The 2nd Medical Faculty Charles University Prague Czech Republic

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Cattle can be a reservoir of sorbitol-fermenting shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H(-) strains and a source of human diseases