摘要：A seven month period from the beginning October to the end of April 2004, a total of 126 ground beef samples were analyzed to determine the incidence of Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) O157:H7. Among the sampling months, the incidence of EHEC serotypes were only observed in April. Of the 126 ground beef samples, only one ground beef sample was positive for E. coli O157:H7, having a prevalence of 0.79 %. Five samples were found positive for E. coli O157 serotype, having a prevalence of 3.96 %. The results of this study reveal that the occurrence of EHEC serotypes in ground beef in the Kars (Eastern Turkey) seem to be seasonal and the level of E. coli O157 was significantly higher as compared to other studies in Turkey, but it is similar to studies performed in many countries around the world. Of the tested eighteen antibiotics, resistance towards three or more antibiotics were observed among the all isolates.
