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Enteropathogenic E. coli were sought routinely by the fluorescent antibody technique, using monovalent and polyvalent conjugates (rhodamine sulfonyl. chloride, fluorescein and rhodamine isothiocyanate).In 2061 stool specimens examined with monovalent antibody to E. coli 0127:B8, there were 61 false positives, 14 of which were from previously known cases of E. coli 0127:B8 infection, and 33 specimens that were negative by fluorescence but positive on culture. In 457 stool specimens examined with polyvalent antiserum, there were 15 false positives, five of which came from cases previously infected by the corresponding serotypes, and there were 20 specimens negative by fluorescence but positive on culture. The disagreement amounted, therefore, to 4.6% in the former instance and 7.6% in the latter. This fluorescent technique permits rapid sufficiently precise detection of enteropathogenic E. coli in stools.