This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Peeters, J E Articles by Devriese, L A Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Peeters, J E Articles by Devriese, L A

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Clin Microbiol. 1984 July; 20(1): 34-39

Pathogenic properties of Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrheic commercial rabbits.

ABSTRACT

Thirty-two different strains of Escherichia coli isolated from diarrheic commercial rabbits showing intestinal attachment of bacilli were studied. None of the strains produced thermostable or thermolabile enterotoxins, and none was invasive. Strains isolated from suckling rabbits attached in vitro to the brush borders of intestinal villi, whereas strains from weanling rabbits did not. After experimental infection of 5-week-old rabbits, the 26 strains isolated from weaned diarrheic rabbits attached to the epithelium of ileum, cecum, and colon, whereas only slight attachment was found after infection with the six strains isolated from suckling diarrheic rabbits. The former strains induced diarrhea in 87% of the rabbits, whereas the latter induced diarrhea in only 9% of inoculated rabbits. E. coli isolated from healthy rabbits did not cause diarrhea. Strains isolated from diarrheic suckling rabbits all belonged to serotype O109:K-:H2, whereas strains from diarrheic weaned rabbits belonged to at least eight different serogroups. It is suggested that two different mechanisms of E. coli enteropathy might exist in rabbits.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Dow, M. A., Toth, I., Alexa, P., Davies, M., Malik, A., Oswald, E., Nagy, B. (2005). Predominance of afr2 and ral Fimbrial Genes Related to Those Encoding the K88 and CS31A Fimbrial Adhesins in Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolates from Rabbits with Postweaning Diarrhea in Central Europe. J. Clin. Microbiol. 43: 1366-1371 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Heczko, U., Carthy, C. M., O'Brien, B. A., Finlay, B. B. (2001). Decreased Apoptosis in the Ileum and Ileal Peyer's Patches: a Feature after Infection with Rabbit Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O103. Infect. Immun. 69: 4580-4589 [Abstract] [Full Text]