Identification of eae sequences in enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains from rabbits

Abstract

DNA sequences coding for attachment and for verotoxin production were investigated in a collection of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains from rabbits. All of the strains produced diarrhea after experimental infection, attached to the brush borders of the intestinal lining, and possessed homology to the eae probe, whereas strains isolated from healthy rabbits did not. Sequences homologous to the AF/R1 fimbriae of strain RDEC-1 were not found. One strain reacted with the probe for the Shiga-like toxin type I gene.