National Reference Center (NRC) for Shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STEC)

Important message (from 01.01.2026 onwards)

Antibodies against specific E. coli serogroups

The determination of antibodies against specific E. coli serogroups will no longer be performed from 1 January 2026, as the necessary reagents will no longer be available.

General considerations on the diagnosis of STEC infections

Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) are a major cause of gastrointestinal infections worldwide. STEC infection usually results in mild to bloody diarrhoea, but can sometimes progress to the life-threatening haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS).

Diagnosis of STEC infections is especially important for timely detection of outbreaks.  The NIHDI provides reimbursement for the detection of the most common STEC serotype O157:H7/H- under certain conditions. However, the NRC’s activities are not limited to detecting this serotype alone.

To detect outbreaks early, it is important to send stool samples to the reference laboratory in every case of haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), even if O157 is detected locally (mixed infections are also possible). These cases then function as the ‘tip of the iceberg’ in surveillance and early detection of outbreaks, which can lead to identification and elimination of a source of infection.

Note over de benaming van deze micro-organismen:
Gedurende jaren heeft het NRC de voorkeur gegeven aan de benaming “verocytotoxine” voor het toxine en “enterohemorrhagische E. coli” voor het micro-organisme. Hoewel deze benamingen aanvaard blijven, ziet men in de literatuur meer en meer een neiging om zich te beperken tot “Shiga toxine” en “Shiga toxine-producerende E. coli (STEC)”, die vanaf nu door het NRC uitsluitend zullen worden gehanteerd.

Helpful links:

At the bottom of this page, you can find the NRC reports.

You can consult the accompanying epidemiological surveillance reports at: Health topic Pathogenic E. coli.