K88 (F4)-POSITIVE ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI IN WEANED PIGS IN ONTARIO

摘要

K88 (F4)+ enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) were initially associated primarily with diarrhea in neonatal pigs (5). In recent years, however, 0149:K88+ ETEC have been the dominant serotype in a resurgence of post-weaning diarrhea in pigs in Ontario. This may be due to emergence of a hypervirulent strain of 0149 ETEC. The objective of this study was to determine whether recent strains of 0149 ETEC possess virulence attributes that are not present in old ones.