Recently pathogenic E. coli is one of the main foodborne pathogens resulting in many patients in Korea. To understand the characteristics of pathogenic E. coli outbreaks in Korea, the epidemiological investigation reports of pathogenic E. coli outbreak in 2009 (41 reports) and in 2010 (27 reports) were collected in the web site of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reviewed and analysed in this study. The main places of the pathogenic E. coli outbreaks were food catering service area (64.8%) and restaurants (25.0%). The main type of the pathogens were EPEC (44.7%) and ETEC (34.2%). EAEC and EHEC was responsible for 10.5 and 9.2%, respectively. Eight of 68 outbreak cases were caused by more than 2 types of pathogenic E. coli which implicates the complicated contamination pathways of pathogenic E. coli. The incidence rate of pathogenic E. coli was 33.6 ± 30.5% and the main symptoms were diarrhea, stomach ache, nausea, vomiting, and fever etc. The two identified food sources were identified as frozen hamburger pattie and squid-vegetable mixture. To improve the food source identification by epidemiological investigation, food poisoning notification to the agency should not be delayed, whole food items attributed the outbreak should be collected and detection method of the various pathogenic E. coli in food has to be improved. In conclusion, the characteristics between the EHEC outbreaks in the western countries and the EPEC or ETEC outbreaks in Korea needs to be distinguished to prepare food safety management plan. In addition, the development of the trace back system to find the contamination pathway with the improved detection method in food and systemic and cooperative support by the related agencies are necessary.

서울시내에서 유통되는 식품과 식품접객업소(집단급식소 포함)의 조리식품을 대상으로 식중독 원인균 분석 및 위생미생물 검사를 실시한 결과, 분리된 대장균의 항생제 감수성 시험을 통하여 이들의 내성 정도를 파악하고, 내성 유전자와 병원성유전자의 분포도 알아보았다. 모두 1313건 의 샘플 중 50건에서 대장균이 검출되어 3.8%의 검출률을 보였다. 이중 육회 1건에서 장출혈성대장균 O26 1건, 김밥 에서 장병원성대장균 1건이 각각 검출되었다. 50건의 대장 균중 50%가 16종의 항생제에 모두 감수성을 보였으며 내성이 높게 나타난 항생제는 ampicillin(36%), amoxicillin/ clavulanic acid(32%) 그리고 tetracycline(22%)의 순이었다. 이들의 내성유전자 분포는 TEM이 1건, tetB 4건이 각각 검출되었다.