Immunohistochemical identification of enteropathogenic E. coli fimbriae in suckling pigs with diarrhoe

Abstract

A study to evaluated the inmunohistochemistry techniques (IHC) as dignosis the E. coli fimbrial antigens in intestines of sucklings pigs with diarrhea, was carried out. Fifty suckling pigs, naturally infected, with diarrhoea were analyzed to microbiologically isolate and identify the antigen fimbrial in the small intestine with Inmunohistochemistry (Indirect Inmunofluorencence and Streptavidin-Biotin-Peroxidase) and aglutination test.

The most commonly diagnosed etiological agent in suckling pigs with diarrhea was E. coli (34% alone and 24% associated), followed by Salmonella sp, Rotavirus and Campylobacter sp. IHC identified antigen with the isolation of E. coli, in ten pigs, in one with Salmonella sp and in five without ethiological diagnosis.

The most frequent fimbrial antigen  found was F41 in eight pigs aged 1 to 35 days, followed by the association F4-F41 in five animals with ages ranging between 15 to 28 days and finally, F4 in three pigs between 8 and 35 days.

The results confirm the importance of fimbrial antigens as adhesion factor on enteropathogenic E. coli in the small intestine of suckling pigs, since the effectiveness of inmunohistochemistry for identity the fimbrial antigen in paraffin embedded intestines.