Coliforms and Escherichia coli are major microbial indicators in the accessing the quality of foodstuffs. The presence of these bacteria in foods is considered as an indication of fecal contamination. E. coli O 157 :H 7 is the most pathogenic strain that is transmitted to human through animal-foods. This study was performed on 100 traditional cheese samples manufactured in Maragheh rural to determine the seroprevalence of E. coli. The samples were analyzed with standard microbiological methods

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... ollowed by biochemical confirmatory tests. Afterwards, the isolates were assayed for the detection of O-serotypes using direct agglutination method. Among the 100 cheese samples, E. coli O 157 serotype was not detected in any sample. However, other E. coli serotypes including 32 isolates of non-O 157 serotypes were detected. Among the isolates, enteropathogenic, enterotoxigenic and enterohaemorhhagic serogruops was also detected.