Prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in water sources: an overview on associated diseases, outbreaks and detection methods

• E. coli O157:H7–associated diseases and waterborne outbreaks results in high morbidity and mortality worldwide.
• Review describes cultural, immunological and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–based methods for detection of this pathogen.
• PCR-based techniques such as real-time PCR prove to be more specific and sensitive and require less detection time (<3 hours).
• These methods can be applied for regular water monitoring and proper management of water sources to prevent E. coli O157:H7–associated waterborne diseases.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a zoonotic pathogen with its ability to cause human illness ranging from diarrheal disease to fatal hemolytic uremic syndrome. E. coli O157:H7 had been associated with waterborne outbreaks resulting in high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Therefore, it is important to investigate the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in water sources especially used for drinking and to develop the diagnostic methods for its early detection. The review describes traditional cultural methods, immunological techniques, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–based methods for detection of this bacterium in water sources. The current PCR-based techniques such as real-time PCR are more specific and sensitive and require less detection time (<3 hours). These methods can be applied for regular water monitoring and proper management of water sources to prevent waterborne diseases due to E. coli O157:H7.