COLONIZATION ANTIGENS, ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANCE AND PLASMID CONTENT OF ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA-COLI ISOLATED FROM PIGLETS WITH DIARRHEA IN GALICIA (NORTHWESTERN SPAIN)

Escherichia coli colonies isolated from 50 diarrhoeic and 29 healthy piglets were investigated for several properties related to pathogenicity, such as production of heat-labile (LT) and heat-stable (STa) enterotoxins, presence of K88 and K99 colonization antigens, mannose-resistant haemagglutinating activity (MRHA), .beta.-haemolysis and antibiotic resistance. The objective was to establish the toxic and adhesive abilities of E. coli strains that cause porcine diarrhoea in Galician farms. Fifty-seven colonies from 14 diarrhoeic piglets formed STa, while no STa+ colony was detected from healthy piglets. Thirty-four of the 57 STa+ colonies were resistant to gentamicin. Sixteen representative STa+ strains isolated from the 14 infected piglets were serotyped, investigated for plasmid content and examined by electron microscopy. Of these STa+ strains, 15 belonged to serotype 0141:K85ab and carried on their surface the fimbrial antigen P987. The remaining representative STa+ strain belonged to serotype 0101:K30 and was K99+ being the only STa+ strain with MRHA activity. All 15 STa+P987+ strains possessed a similar plasmid pattern, with three plasmids ranging in molecular weight from 33 .times. 106 to 74 .times. 106; nine of the gentamicin-resistant strains possessed an additional plasmid of molecular weight 16 .times. 106, which was absent in the six gentamicin-sensitive strains. Strains producing LT or K88 antigen were not detected. Forty-one MRHA+ colonies were isolated at similar rates from both diarrhoeic and healthy piglets. Twelve of the 19 non-enterotoxigenic MRHA+ strains of which the O-group was established, belonged to serogroups (01, 02, 07, 08, 09 and 075) typical of the human E. coli strains that cause extraintestinal infections. Finally, a statistically significant association between haemolytic and MRHA activities in porcine E. coli was found. In conclusion, it was found that STa+ E. coli strains belonging to serotype 0141:K85ab:P987 are associated with porcine diarrhoea in Galicia. Additionally, no correlation between the isolation of non-ETEC MRHA+ strains and diarrhoea was observed.