Escherichia coli O157:H7: local epidemiology and disease spectrum in Brazil

ABSTRACT

Escherichia coli O157 H7 is one of the most important foodborne pathogens nowadays, since it has been responsible for severe outbreaks worldwide. Event hough this food pathogen has been isolated in many countries, Brazilian foods were considered E. coli O157H7-free until recently. However, the presence of E. coli O157H7 has been reported in diverse foods produced in Brazil and an increasing number of isolation from cattle feces has been observed, demonstrating that this pathogen is present in different parts of Brazil, and severe foodborne outbreaks mayoccur in the near future if adequate control measures are not implemented