Current status of detection strategies for pathogenic Escherichia coli: a brief review and summary

Pathogenic E. coli, a significant concern for researchers and health organizations worldwide, has caused numerous large-scale bacterial infection deaths worldwide. Low-dose infection and high pathogenicity underscore the need for rapid and accurate detection of E. coli to control its infection and protect human health and public health safety. This review outlines the main detection strategies for E. coli in recent years and divides them into six categories: traditional plate colony counting, immunology, optics, molecular biology, electrochemical sensing, and microchip technology. Recent representative articles on E. coli detection are also summarized and analyzed, and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Additionally, this review also presents the future direction and prospects of E. coli detection strategies. The main objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview and constructive ideas to develop efficient, advanced, and immediate detection methods for E. coli and pathogenic microorganism detection, emphasizing the need for such strategies.