E. coli O157:H7 is one of hundreds of strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli.[1] Most strains of E. coli are harmless and live as normal flora in the intestines of healthy humans and animals.[2] The E. coli bacterium is among the most extensively studied microorganism.[3] The combination of letters and numbers in the name of the E. coli O157:H7 refers to the specific markers found on its surface and distinguishes it from other types of E. coli.[4] The testing done to distinguish E. coli O157:H7 from its other E. coli counterparts is called serotyping.[5] Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (“PFGE”),[6]sometimes also referred to as genetic fingerprinting, is used to compare E. coli O157:H7 isolates to determine if the strains are distinguishable.[7]
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