Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a major cause of foodborne illness globally, and infection with serotype O157:H7 is associated with increased risk of hospitalization and death in the U.S. The Stxs are encoded on a temperate bacteriophage (stx-phage), and phage induction leads to Stx expression; subtype Stx2a in particular is associated with more severe disease. This evidence concerns the gene STX2 and infection.