Quantitative detection and characterization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157 and non-O157 in raw vegetables by MPN-PCR in Malaysia.
Foodborne diseases are mainly caused by bacterial contamination which can lead to severe 
diarrhea. This study aimed to detect the presence of Shiga toxin-Producing 
Escherichia coli 
O157, 
Escherichia coli 
non-O157 and virulence gene in raw vegetables. The samples were 
purchased from wet market and hypermarket in Selangor. The detections were carried out by 
using the combination methods of Most Probable Number-Polymerase Chain Reaction (MPN- 
PCR). A total of 37(18.5%) samples were found to be contaminated by STEC. Out of these 
37 isolates, four (10.8%) of the isolates were E. coli O157 while 33(89.2%) were 
E. coli 
non- 
O157. However, there was no 
E. coli 
O157:H7 detected in all the samples. The occurrence of 
Shiga toxin-Producing 
E. coli 
in edible raw vegetables samples suggests the importance of this 
pathogen in vegetables. Therefore, more studies are required to remove this pathogen from 
vegetables.