Detection ofEscherichia coliin water using a colorimetric gene probe assay

Abstract
A commercially available DNA hydribization assay (Gene‐trak(R), Framingham, MA, USA) was compared with the EC‐MUG procedure for the detection of Escherichia coli in water. The gene probe gave positive responses for pure cultures of E. coli, E. coli 0157:H7, E. fergusonii. Shigella sonnei, S. dysenteriae and S. boydii. The hybridization assay was capable of detecting E. coli in environmental samples and survivors among chlorine exposed cells.