SummaryIsolation and characterization of shigatoxin producing E. coli strains isolated from stool samples: results of a Sentinel-study In order to record the incidence and clonal types of shigatoxin-producing E. coli of human origin (EHEC) and to evaluate the feasibility, sensitivity and specificity of a protocol for screening and isolation of EHEC under conditions clinical stool diagnostics a pilot study (Sentinel-study) was carried out with private clinical laboratory (covering 1.1 Mio. inhabitants). 3 % EHEC bacteria were detected among 3835 stool samples investigated from patients suffering with watery and bloody diarrhoea. These isolates belong to a broad range of serovars and clones with a spectrum of various virulence factors. Thus, about 10 % of the isolates have been identified as E. coil O157:H7/-, only, but with the same frequency E. coli O103:H2, O26:Hll/-, O8:H or Ont. The protocol of combined bacterial enrichment and molecular methods turned out to be valuable and feasible under conditions and economic requests of private diagnostic laboratories covering ca. 85 % of primary diagnostics.

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