Determination of K88 antigens and enterotoxins of Escherichia coli strains isolated from Polish piglets with diarrhea by the use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

We studied 103 Escherichia coli strains isolated from suckling and weaned piglets with diarrhea using different ELISA tests. K88 fimbrial antigen was determined by the slide agglutination test and the ELISA inhibition method. LT and STa enterotoxins were tested directly in the microtiter plates using monoclonal antibodies. It was found that 56.3% strains possessed K88 antigen, all of which were of the K88ac type. There was 100% correlation between the slide agglutination and ELISA tests. Of the 103 strains tested 68.9% produced LT or STa or both toxins. LT-positive strains were the most common ones in both groups of piglets. All K88-positive strains were enterotoxigenic and elaborated LT (56 strains) or LT and STa (2 strains); STb production was not determined in this study. Our ELISA tests were easy to perform, specific and can be used for determination of K88 and enterotoxins in E. coli strains isolated from piglets.