Autolytic changes in the digestive system of germfree, escherichia coli monocontaminated, and conventional baby pigs.

Tissues from three groups of pigs (germfree, Escherichia coli monocontaminated, and healthy conventional pigs) were collected at intervals between 24 minutes and 7 hours 12 minutes after death. Histological differences between the three groups were present in the alimentary mucosa and were most striking in the ileum and colon.Autolytic change was detected only in the digestive system and the sequence of autolytic events was similar in all groups. The time of onset and rate of progress differed markedly between groups and between segments of the alimentary canal. In the conventional group, autolysis started quickly and progressed rapidly. In the germfree group it was later in onset and slower in progress. The E. coli infected group was intermediate. The initial visible change occurred in the small intestine. The morphological differences and autolytic changes were described.