What is STEC
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are a group of pathogenic E. coli which can cause severe illness. It contains Shiga toxin-producing genes, also known as stx and testing regimes for STEC are based on detection of this gene.
The symptoms of STEC infection can vary from no symptoms to diarrhoea, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhoea, and haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal.
HUS develops in approximately 10% of patients infected with E. coli O157 and is the leading cause of acute renal failure in young children.