Table 1.

Overview of distribution of all isolates, clones, and STs for the three different ages and habitats of the control and probiotic groups

Sample location	Age of piglets (days)a	No. of pigletsb		Total no. of:
				E. coli isolatesc		Clones identifiedd		STs identifiede
		Control	Probiotic	Control	Probiotic	Control	Probiotic	Control	Probiotic
Colon (mucosa)	12 ± 1	4	4	93	83	26	30	21	24
	26 ± 1	4	4	88	83	35	31	26	22
	33 ± 1	4	4	78	81	28	24	21	18
Total (mucosa)		12	12	259	247	89	85	68	64
Colon (digesta)	12 ± 1	4	4	83	83	24	24	20	18
	26 ± 1	4	4	89	90	34	37	24	25
	33 ± 1	4	4	83	89	26	23	21	17
Total (digesta)		12	12	255	262	84	84	65	60
Feces	12 ± 1	4	4	43	42	16	14	12	11
	26 ± 1		4	86	88	37	35	29	25
	33 ± 1	4	4	65	89	25	28	18	23
Total (feces)		12	12	194	219	78	77	59	59
Total (control/probiotic)		12	12	708	728	251	246	192	183

^aMean ± SD.

^bSamples were obtained from a total of 24 piglets.

^cA total of 1,436 E. coli isolates were analyzed.

^dClones are defined as an E. coli group of isolates with a specific macrorestriction pattern, wherein two clones differed by more than one band. A total of 499 clones were found, with 168 different clones identified.

^eSTs, sequence types, based on seven housekeeping genes. A total of 375 STs were found, with 79 different STs identified.