The use of selective and differential agars for the isolation of Escherichia coli O157 from the faeces of dairy herds was investigated. Out of the 614 isolates which were positive for one or more of the selective criteria employed in the media only four proved to be E. coli O157. Ninety-nine per cent of the isolates were false positives. The procedure which resulted in the isolation of E. coli O157 from faecal samples was enrichment in modified Tryptone Soya Broth supplemented with novobiocin and subsequent growth on Chromagar O157.