E. coli serogroup O157 is a group of enteric pathogens that cause hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome. MacConkey Agar with Sorbitol was developed as a medium capable of differentiating E. coli O157 from non-O157 E. coli on the basis of sorbitol fermentation.(1)
MacConkey Agar with Sorbitol, Cefixime, and Tellurite inhibits the growth of most non-verocytotoxigenic E. coli strains and most other non-sorbitol fermenting species. A number of organisms which may be mistaken for E. coli O157 on traditional MacConkey Agar with Sorbitol are inhibited on MacConkey Agar with Sorbitol, Cefixime, and Tellurite.