Laboratory-based surveillance of human verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli infection in the Republic of Ireland, 2002-2004.

The aim of this study was to examine the frequency and distribution of human verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) O157 and non-O157 in the Republic of Ireland, and also to examine the presence of virulence genes in these isolates. This genetic information combined with phenotypic tests was used to produce a complete laboratory-based surveillance of human clinical VTEC infection in the Republic of Ireland between 2002 and 2004. Between January 2002 and December 2004 a total of 207 VTEC isolates were studied (one isolate per patient), 185 (89 %) of these were E.