Colonization Potentials of Male and Female E. coli K 12 Strains E coli B and Human Fecal E. coli Strains in the Mouse GI Tract

摘要

In order to compare the colonization potentials of individual Escherichia coli strains, the authors developed a simple animal system in which both freshly isolated human strains and laboratory strains (i.e. E. coli B and E. coli K 12 strains) survive in the large intestine for long periods of time when fed to these animals alone. Once this condition was achieved the colonization potential of each E. coli strain relative to others was determined by feeding the animals two or more strains simultaneously. In the present investigation the authors report that mice whose normal facultative microflora is reduced by the addition of streptomycin to their drinking water can be used to compare the intrinsic large intestine colonization potentials of E. coli strains, including E. coli B male and female strains of E. coli K 12, and E. coli strains recently isolated from human feces.