Characterization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli isolates associated with two multistate food-borne outbreaks that occurred in 2006

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli isolates from two 2006 outbreaks are compared to other O157:H7 isolates for their virulence genotype, biofilm formation and stress responses. The studies have also demonstrated a cooperative biofilm formation involving an Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain and a non-O157:H7 strain.