Objective   To explore and to establish fast and sensitive subtyping methods of Enterohemor rhagic Escher ichia Coli(EHEC)O157:H7 forinfectious resource tracing and control.

  Methods   Four typing methods, such as reverse passive latexagglomeration(RPLA), phage typing, vero toxin gene detection by polymerase chain reaction(VT-PCR)and pulse-field gel electrophoresis(PFGE)were used for typingthe EHECO157:H7 strains isolated from Jinggang, Japan in 1999.

  Results   Foroutbreak cases, these four methods were suitable for typing; PFGE was undoubtingthe best typing method forindividual cases; On the other hand, RPLA and VT-PCR could be used forinitially screeningthe pathogenesis ability of EHECO157:H7 for their convenient operation.

  Conclusion   More accurate results would be obtained with all these four typing methods compared with the usage of any single one.