The presence of free shiga-like toxins in stool specimens of patients with diarrhea during one year study

During one year study, 394 stool samples obtained from a random cases of diarrhea were examined for the presence of free shiga-like toxins Stx1 and Stx2 in Vero cells assay. Of 394 stool specimen supernatants tested, 2 (0.5%) gave positive results. The two stool supernatants positive on Vero cell line were wholly capable of being neutralized with the monoclonal antibody to Stx2. Broth cultures of strains isolated from the two positive stool samples were negative for Stxs-production in Vero cytotoxicity assay and by PCR.