Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O104H4 - a brief bacteriological introductory profile

There are many different harmless and pathogenic E. coli strains. As far as the current EHEC outbreak event is concerned, the serotype O104:H4 has been clearly identified as the outbreak strain causing the disease. It constitutes in all probability a recombinant of two pathogenic E. coli types. Based on the strain analysis of the serotype O104:H4, BfR believes that it is likely that the transfer of the pathogen to the affected foods could have been caused in the current out-break event via humans or from humans via the environment. The pathogen can be spread through foods.DE; en; efsa-focal-point@bfr.bund.d