Detection and identification of some virulence factors among Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrheagenic piglets using PCR

E. coli strains were isolated from ileum and colon of diarrheic piglets and different virulence factors (STa, STb, K99, 987P, and F41) were tested by multiplex PCR. ETEC strains involved in neonatal diarrhea mainly colonized ileum. STb gene was the most prevalent gene (30.5 %) followed by STa and K88 (11.9 %). K99 and K88 were the only fimbriae identified in this study. K99 was always associated with STa. Twenty two percent of animals possessed the STb gene only and 5.1 % of piglets the K88 gene only; the other animals were positive for 2 to 4 virulence determinants. Prevalence of toxinogenic E. coli strains, isolated from diarrheic piglets, were in accordance to previous studies. However these studies have shown a higher number of fimbriae with higher diversity.