Using the micro ID for rapid identification of E coli O157: H7 Kareish cheese

ABSTRACT

A total of thirty two samples of Karish cheese collected randomly from dairy shops and markets in Cairo and Giza were screened for the presence of Escherichia coli O157 H7 using the commercial Micro ID system for biochemical identification. Only 3 samples [9.3%] were presumptively positive for E. coli O157 H7 on plates of sorbitol MacConky agar number 3. Nine isolates were taken from typical colonies. Of these isolates, four were positive when retested as pure cultures with the Micro ID system and confirmed to be E. coli, while only two of the identified isolates were serotyped as O157 H7