Biotype, serotype, and pathogenicity of attaching and effacing enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrheic commercial rabbits.

A total of 568 strains of Escherichia coli isolated from healthy and diarrheic rabbits were separated into 11 different biotypes according to the fermentation patterns of four carbohydrates. Strains belonging to biotypes 1 to 3, 6, and 8 induced lesions characteristic for attaching and effacing E. coli (AEEC). They attached to the intestinal epithelium of the terminal small intestine and the large intestine of 5-week-old rabbits after experimental infection and caused effacement of the microvillous brush border. However, pathogenicity for weaned rabbits, as judged by diarrhea score, anorexia, and reduced weight gain, varied according to the biotypes of the strains. Strains belonging to biotypes 1 and 6 produced only discrete clinical signs, strains belonging to biotypes 2 and 3+ (motile) induced diarrhea and growth depression, whereas strains belonging to biotypes 3- (immotile) and 8 caused severe clinical signs and high mortality. This confirms evidence from the field. Biotypes 3- and 8, accounting for 35.5 and 7.1% of AEEC strains in weaned diarrheic rabbits, respectively, were not detected in weaned healthy rabbits, while biotype 2 was the predominant strain in weaned healthy rabbits (62.3%). Finally, serotyping showed a close relationship between biotype and serotype of the AEEC examined. Most strains of biotypes 1+ and 2+ tested were O109:K-:H2 and O132:K-:H2, respectively, whereas all strains tested of biotype 3- were O15:K-:H- and those of biotype 8 were O103:K-:H2. These data indicate that specific clones of AEEC might be involved in juvenile rabbit enteritis. It was concluded that determination of biotypes allows the screening of highly pathogenic AEEC in weaned rabbits (biotypes 3- and 8).