3. Results and discussion
Since their first identification as an enteropathogen, strains of
STEC O157 have emerged as a serious threat to public health,
especially in developed countries (Tarr et al., 2005). Various
factors may affect the prevalence findings of E. coli O157 in
different kind of samples, of which the method of detection and
M. Aminul Islam et al. / International Journal of Food Microbiology 109 (2006) 151–156