Presence of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli ST678/O104:H4 in France Prior to 2011

Two isolates of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O104:H4 were isolated in France in 2004 and 2009. Both were characterized and compared to the strain which caused the German outbreak in 2011 and to other O104: H4 strains. This suggests that different O104: H4 EHEC strains were present several years prior to the 2011 outbreak.