Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli enteritis: Evaluation of the gnotobiotic piglet as a model of human infection

Abstract

The pathogenicity of classical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains of human origin was investigated in gnotobiotic piglets. One to two day old piglets in groups of four were infected perorally with approximately 108 colony forming units of one of eight enteropathogenic E coli strains or a non-pathogenic control strain. Animals were necropsied 24 or 48 hours after infection and their intestines were subjected to histological examination, quantitative bacterial culture and estimation of lactase activity. Four enteropathogenic E coli strains caused mild to moderate diarrhoea in nine of the 16 piglets inoculated with them. Piglets given two of these strains later became moribund. One enter..