Escherichia coli O157:H7 and other Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC)
Escherichia coli (abbreviated as E. coli) are a large and diverse group of bacteria. Although most strains of E. coli are harmless, others can make you sick. E. coli O157:H7 is a kind of E. coli that can cause disease by making a toxin called Shiga toxin. Often when you hear news reports about outbreaks of E. coli infections, they are talking about E. coli O157:H7.
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