Pathogenic Escherichia coli and food handlers in luxury hotels in Nairobi, Kenya.

Background: The epidemiology and virulence properties of pathogenic Escherichia coli among food handlers in tourist destination hotels in Kenya are largely uncharacterized.

Method: This cross-sectional study among consenting 885 food handlers working in nine luxurious tourist hotels in Nairobi, Kenya determined the epidemiology, virulence properties, antibiotics susceptibility profiles and conjugation abilities of pathogenic Escherichia coli.

Result: Pathogenic Escherichia coli was detected among 39 (4.