Attaching and effacing Escherichia coli infection as a cause of diarrhea in young calves

A form of enteric Escherichia coli infection was identified in 60 calves from 59 farming operations. The E coli responsible for these infections principally colonized the colon, inducing a distinctive lesion described as attaching and effacing. Hemorrhagic enterocolitis or blood in the feces was observed on 40% of the farms. Of affected calves, 86.6% were dairy calves (average age, 11.8 days). Forty-four calves were infected concurrently with other enteropathogens (cryptosporidia, rotavirus, coronavirus, enterotoxigenic E coli, bovine viral diarrhea virus, coccidia). Verotoxin-producing E coli was recovered from 31 calves; 8 were serotype O111:NM isolates, 3 were serotype O5:NM, and 1 was serotype O26:NM.     

Attaching and effacing and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli associated with enteric colibacillosis in the dog.

The objective of this study was to describe observations from cases of enteric colibacillosis in the dog. Thirteen cases of canine enteric colibacillosis were diagnosed from routine necropsy submissions to our diagnostic laboratory from 1980 to 1992. In all cases there was a clinical history of gastrointestinal disease associated with histological and bacteriological evidence of either attaching and effacing Escherichia coli (AEEC) or enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) infection. Of these 13 cases of enteric colibacillosis, 12 were associated with AEEC and one with ETEC. Eight of the 12 AEEC isolates were available for study. They were of various serogroups, non-hemolytic, and negative for the genes coding for fimbrial antigens F4, F5, F6, F41 and F165; enterotoxins STap, STb and LT; and verotoxins VT1 and VT2. These eight isolates were EAE-positive (E. coli attaching and effacing) by colony hybridization; six of these were also EAF-positive (EPEC adherence factor), and six were BFP-positive (bundle-forming pilus). The ETEC isolate was negative for the EAE, EAF and BFP determinants and for the fimbrial antigens tested but was positive for the STap and STb genes. Most of the dogs affected with enteric colibacillosis originated from kennels and pet shops and were aged between 1.5 and 3 months. Coinfection with other enteric pathogens was identified in eight of these 13 cases. This study showed that Escherichia coli should be considered of causal significance when investigating diarrheal disease in dogs, particularly in puppies.     

Natural infection with an attaching and effacing Escherichia coli in the small and large intestines of a calf with diarrhoea

Attaching and effacing Escherichia coli were identified in the small and large intestine of a calf with naturally occurring diarrhoea. The organisms were associated with intestinal lesions and were identified by immunoperoxidase staining and transmission and scanning electron microscopy, but they did not produce Shiga-like toxin (verotoxin).     

Natural infection with an attaching and effacing Escherichia coli in a diarrheic puppy.

Enteric infection with an attaching and effacing Escherichia coli was diagnosed in a puppy with protracted diarrhea. Extensive colonization of the small intestinal mucosa was observed by light and scanning electron microscopy and characteristic lesions of bacterial attachment of the brush border of the enterocytes were demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy. The E. coli strain isolated from the small intestine belonged to serotype O49:H10, did not produce any known E. coli enterotoxin or cytotoxin, was not invasive, and was negative for the known fimbrial colonization factors produced by animal and human enterotoxigenic E. coli. A positive immunoperoxidase reaction was obtained on the bacteria attached to the enterocytes with an anti-E. coli O49 antiserum.     

Attaching and effacing Escherichia coli infections in calves, pigs, lambs, and dogs

Attaching and effacing Escherichia coli (AEEC) adhere to mucosal epithelium in both small and large intestine and induce a distinctive lesion characterized by an irregular scalloped appearance of the epithelial layer. Infection with attaching and effacing E. coli was detected in 14 calves, 7 pigs, 2 lambs, and 3 dogs. Affected animals were from farms and kennels in South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Ages of affected animals were calves, 2 days to 4 months; pigs, 1-6 weeks; lambs, 1 week; and dogs, 7-8 weeks. Clinical signs included diarrhea in all animals, but other nonenteric disease problems were present in some animals. Concurrent infection with other enteropathogens was detected in 9 calves and 5 pigs. Infection with AEEC appeared to be the sole cause of illness and death in some animals. There was evidence of intestinal hemorrhage in 5 of the calves and in all 3 dogs. Attaching and effacing lesions varied from small scattered foci to widespread involvement of large areas of intestinal mucosa. Verotoxin was produced by E. coli strains isolated from 9 calves, but not by strains from pigs, lambs, or dogs.     

Occurrence and characteristics of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O26 and O111 in calves associated with diarrhea

The aims of this study were: (1) to examine whether or not enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O26 and O111 (EHEC O26 and O111) are involved in neonatal calf diarrhea; (2) to determine the specific age periods at which the calves are vulnerable to these organisms, and (3) to reveal the biochemical, genetic and cytotoxic characteristics of the isolates. The study investigated the occurrence of EHEC O26 and O111 in calves associated with or without diarrhea. A total of 442 diarrheic and non-diarrheic young calves from 115 different farms were examined. Of the 257 calves with diarrhea, 37 (14.4%) and 32 (12.5%) tested positive for EHEC O26 and EHEC O111, respectively. Of the 185 non-diarrheic calves, 14 (7.6%) and 11 (5.9%) tested positive for EHEC O26 and EHEC O111, respectively. EHEC O26 and O111 were recovered from 14/69 (20%) and 11/69 (16%) diarrheic calves <2-weeks-old, respectively, and no EHEC O26 and O111 were detected in the non-diarrheic claves of this age group, suggesting that EHEC O26 and O111 are possible causes of the disease in infected neonatal calves. However, there were similar rates of occurrence in the diarrheic and non-diarrheic calves in the older animals (particularly, aged >10 weeks). PCR analysis showed that the isolates carried various virulence genes such as Ehly, eae, stx1 and stx2, which highlight the potential importance of these attributes for the infection, colonization and the possible pathogenesis of calf diarrhea. Cytotoxicity analysis revealed that many of the EHEC isolates showed high cytotoxicity to Vero cells, re-emphasizing the potential for cattle being a direct source of EHEC infections in humans.     

Escherichia coli O115 forms fewer attaching and effacing lesions in the ovine colon in the presence of E. coli O157:H7

Escherichia coli O115 has been isolated from healthy sheep and was shown to be associated with attaching-effacing (AE) lesions in the large intestine. Following previous observations of interactions between E. coli O157 and O26, the aim of the present study was to assess what influence an O115 AE E. coli (AEEC) would have on E. coli O157 colonisation in vitro and in vivo. We report that E. coli O115- and O157-associated AE lesions were observed on HEp-2 cells and on the mucosa of ligated ovine spiral colon. In single strain inoculum, E. coli O115 associated intimately with HEp-2 cells and the spiral colon in greater numbers than E. coli O157:H7. However, in mixed inoculum studies, the number of E. coli O115 AE lesions was significantly reduced suggesting negative interference by E. coli O157. Use of the ligated colon model in the present work has allowed in vitro observations to be extended and confirmed whilst using a minimum of experimental animals. The findings support a hypothesis that some AEEC can inhibit adhesion of other AEEC in vivo. The mechanisms involved may prove to be of utility in the control of AE pathovars.     

Interaction between attaching and effacing Escherichia coli serotypes O157:H7 and O26:K60 in cell culture

Ruminants harbour both O157:H7 and non-O157 Attaching Effacing Escherichia coli (AEEC) strains but to date only non-O157 AEEC have been shown to induce attaching effacing lesions in naturally infected animals. However, O157 may induce lesions in deliberate oral inoculation studies and persistence is considered dependent upon the bacterially encoded locus for enterocyte effacement. In concurrent infections in ruminants it is unclear whether non-O157 AEEC contribute either positively or negatively to the persistence of E. coli O157:H7. To investigate this, and prior to animal studies, E. coli O157:H7 NCTC 12900, a non-toxigenic strain that persists in conventionally reared sheep, and non-toxigenic AEEC O26:K60 isolates of sheep origin were tested for adherence to HEp-2 tissue culture alone and in competition one with another. Applied together, both strains adhered in similar numbers but lower than when either was applied separately. Pre-incubation of tissue culture with either one strain reduced significantly (P < 0.05) the extent of adherence of the strain that was applied second. It was particularly noticeable that AEEC O26 when applied first reduced adherence and inhibited microcolony formation, as demonstrated by confocal microscopy, of E. coli O157:H7. The possibility that prior colonisation of a ruminant by non-O157 AEEC such as O26 may antagonise O157 colonisation and persistence in ruminants is discussed.     

Shiga-like toxin production and attaching effacing activity of Escherichia coli associated with calf diarrhea

Four hundred twenty-nine isolates of Escherichia coli from calves were tested for the production of HeLa cell cytotoxin(s). Isolates that produced enough cytotoxin to be detected in culture supernatants of iron-depleted broth were considered to produce increased amounts of cytotoxins. Isolates also were tested for homology with a DNA probe for a gene that encodes localized adherence of human enteropathogenic E coli. Four isolates produced increased amounts of cytotoxin that was neutralized by Shiga antitoxin (toxin designated as Shiga-like toxin-I [SLT-I]). A 5th isolate produced increased amounts of cytotoxin (SLT+) that was not neutralized by the Shiga antitoxin, but was neutralized by antitoxin against a variant of SLT (toxin designated as SLT-II). None of the isolates hybridized with the probe for the localized adherence gene. Three of the SLT+ isolates belonged to human enteropathogenic E coli serogroups O26 and O111. All 5 of the SLT+ isolates were from calves with diarrhea, but none of the 5 SLT+ isolates contained genes for classic heat-labile or heat-stable enterotoxins, for K99 fimbriae, or for invasiveness; neither did any of them adhere to HeLa cells in culture. Three of the 5 SLT+ isolates had attaching and effacing activities when inoculated into ligated intestinal loops of rabbits. One of the isolates with attaching and effacing activity in rabbits was originally isolated from a calf with lesions characteristic of those produced by attaching effacing E coli (AEEC). Calves inoculated with this SLT+ AEEC isolate developed focal colonic lesions characteristic of those produced by AEEC, but did not develop diarrhea.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Factors associated with antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli in zoo animals

Factors associated with the carriage of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli isolates were analysed among zoo animals. An association was observed between selection of amoxicillin as the first-line therapy and a significantly higher percentage of resistance to ampicillin (54.5%) from 11 animals treated with antimicrobials, compared with isolates from 32 untreated animals (9.4%). In addition, the percentage resistance to kanamycin (36.4%), gentamicin (27.3%), trimethoprim (27.3%) and tetracycline (63.6%) from 11 treated animals was significantly higher than those from 32 untreated animals (3.1%, 3.1%, 3.1% and 25%, respectively), although these antimicrobials were rarely used. All kanamycin-, gentamicin- and trimethoprim-resistant isolates and more than half of the tetracycline-resistant isolates from treated animals were also resistant to ampicillin. Co-resistance to other antimicrobials with ampicillin was suggested to contribute to an increasing of resistance towards antimicrobials that were rarely administered. The present investigation revealed an association of antimicrobial treatment with the spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria among zoo animals.     

Experimental infection of enterotoxemic Escherichia coli associated with porcine edema disease and its pathologic characteristics in the intestine

Edema disease (ED) has become frequent in Japan, but no effective method for experimental infection has been developed. We report here the use of a capsule that resistant against gastric digestion to induce the ED in piglets. Four 21-day-old piglets were used. Shiga toxin 2e-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) cell pellet was encapsulated and administered orally. Two pigs received 1.0x10(10) CFU for two days, and the others received 3.9x10(8) CFU for three days. The high-dose group caused the typical clinical ED signs (palpebral edema or neurologic impairment). Eosinophil infiltration, swollen lymphoid follicles, and edema were observed in the ileum. The kidney had the thrombus in the glomerulus.     

Partial abortion associated with genital Escherichia coli infection in a bitch

A five-and-a-half weeks pregnant Airedale terrier with a genital haemorrhage was presented. It had a history of oestrous irregularities. It was found to be anaemic and Escherichia coli was isolated from vaginal swabs. Oestradiol and progesterone levels were normal. Two fetuses were aborted on day 41 of gestation. Antibiotic treatment was given. The haemorrhage ceased but on day 61 an abnormal vaginal discharge was seen. A caesarean operation was performed from which resulted three dead and two live fetuses, which died within two days. E coli was isolated from the uterine content, although the bitch was still receiving antibiotics; it was also still anaemic. It is probable that the haemorrhage was caused by an endotoxin produced by the E coli. The anaemia in the bitch did not improve the chances of fetal survival.     

Morphologic changes in the intestine of swine after infection with verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli

Spontaneous morphologic lesions are described in 12 of 66 pigs submitted for necropsy. All 12 pigs were culture positive for Verotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC). 10 of them were weaned pigs, one a suckling piglet and one a fattening hog. In 6 cases E. coli serovar 0139:H1 and in one case each the serovars 0139:H40; 0138:H-; 0125ac:H27 and 0154:H- were isolated. From the fecal samples of 2 animals E. coli ONT (O-group non typable):H- were cultured. Macroscopically there were cyanosis, edema of the eye lids, catarrhal enteritis and/or colitis as well as edema of the mesentery, swelling of the mesenteric lymph nodes and congestion of the lung to varying degrees. Histopathologic examination of 5 animals was carried out. In 3 animals atrophy and edema of the villi in the jejunum and ileum were discovered. In one animal an additional infection with corona virus was confirmed electron microscopically. Furthermore there was disseminated necrosis of lymphocytes in Peyer's patches of the small intestine and in secondary follicles of the mesenteric lymph nodes. In one of the animals a hemorrhagic-necrotising ileitis, occurred characterized by necrosis of villi and thrombosis of blood vessels in the mucosa. The highest number of VTEC with seven out of twelve animals was found in weaned pigs in association with the E. coli serovar 0139.     

Attaching and effacing Escherichia coli isolated from dogs in Brazil: characteristics and serotypic relationship to human enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC)

Escherichia coli isolates recovered from 182 fecal specimens from dogs up to five months old from the cities of S?o Paulo and Campinas, SP, Brazil, were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for several virulence factors and properties. The eae gene was found in 23 isolates of E. coli from 22 dogs, 19 of 146 (13%) from dogs with diarrhea and 3 of 36 (8.3%) from dogs with no diarrhea. Two different eae+ isolates were recovered from one dog with diarrhea. Isolates from two dogs with diarrhea harbored the bfpA gene, and none of the isolates possessed genes for enterotoxins, the EAF plasmid or Shiga toxins. PCR showed that, among the 23 isolates, eight were positive for beta intimin, six for gamma, two for, one for alpha, one for kappa, and five showed no amplification with any of the nine pairs of specific intimin primers used. PCR also showed that the LEE (locus of enterocyte effacement) was inserted in selC in four isolates, likely in pheU in seven isolates, and in undetermined sites in twelve isolates. Fifteen isolates adhered to HEp-2 cells and were fluorescence actin staining (FAS) positive. The predominant adherence pattern was the localized adherence-like (LAL) pattern. The eae-positive isolates belonged to a wide diversity of serotypes, including O111:H25, O119:H2 and O142:H6, which are serotypes that are common among human EPEC. These results confirmed the presence of EPEC in dogs (DEPEC) with and without diarrhea. The virulence factors found in these strains were similar to those in human EPEC, leading to the possibility that EPEC may move back and forth among human and canine populations.