PHAGE TYPING OF VERO CYTOTOXIN-PRODUCING ESCHERICHIA-COLI O-157 ISOLATED IN THE UNITED-KINGDOM - 1989-91

Between 1989 and 1991 a total of 1092 Vero cytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli O 157 isolated in the United Kingdom were phage typed in the Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens (LEP). Twenty-three phage types was identified, the most frequent being types 2 (36.1 %), 49 (29.6 %), 1 (10.3 %) and 4 (8.9 %). Although isolations of O 157 VTEC have increased each year from 1 in 1982 to 532 in 1991, the predominant phage types have remained unchanged although the proportion of strains belonging to types 2 and 49 has increased. O 157 VTEC from 17 outbreaks were phage typed during this period with phage type 49 predominating (7 of 17 outbreaks).