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. 1982 Mar 1;23(1):79–87. doi: 10.1186/BF03546824

Serological, Enterotoxin-Producing and Biochemical Properties of Escherichia Coli Isolated from Piglets with Neonatal Diarrhea in Norway

Serologiske, enterotoksin-produserende og biokjemiske egenskaper hos Escherichia coli isolert fra spedgriser med diare i Norge

Arve Lund 1,✉, Kåre Fossum 1,✉, Eivind Liven 1
PMCID: PMC8295830  PMID: 6180617

Abstract

Altogether 235 strains of Escherichia coli isolated from jejunal content of piglets with neonatal diarrhea were examined for serological, enterotoxin-producing and certain biochemical properties. Of 198 strains examined, 84 (42 %) belonged to O-group 149, while 14 (7 %) strains belonged to each of the O-group s 8 and 64. Seventy strains (30%) could not be grouped with the sera used. The remaining strains were distributed among the following O-groups with only a few strains in each group: 2,6,9,32,45,98 and 141. Eighty out of 84 E. coli strains of O-group 149 possessed the K88 antigen and produced heat labile enterotoxin (LT). Besides, LT production was demonstrated in 3 out of 14 strains of E. coli 08. K88 antigen was demonstrated in only 1 strain not belonging to O-group 149. Among strains of E. coli 064 12 out of 14 were K99 positive. This antigen was not demonstrated in E. coli strains of other O-groups. A close relationship was demonstrated between strains of E. coli 0149 possessing the K88 antigen and the ability to ferment both raffinose and adonitol. This ability was only detected in 2 other strains of E. coli not belonging to O-group 149.

Keywords: Escherichia coli, O-groups, K 88 and K 99 antigens, enterotoxin, biochemical properties, piglets

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Footnotes

This investigation was made possible by financial support from the Agricultural Research Council of Norway.

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