Clinical Spectrum of Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in Adults and Children

Abstract

This report describes the clinical spectrum of disease among a series of pediatric and adult patients with symptoms of gastroenteritis that subsequently tested positive for Shiga toxin—producing Escherichia coli in their stool. All diarrheal stools (n = 1712) between July 2005 and November 2006 were tested with Premier EHEC (Meridian Bioscience, Cincinnati, OH). A total of 1.6% patients (27/1712) tested positive and 41% of patients had non-0157 E. coli, which can cause moderate disease requiring hospitalization. Cases of non-0157 E. coli would have been missed without testing for Shiga toxin. All bloody stools, and perhaps all stools, should be tested for Shiga toxin.