Colistin inhibition of mannose-resistant haemagglutination by K88-positive and K99-positive escherichia coli strains. A preliminary report.

Two enteropathogenic E. coli strains isolated from a calf and a piglet succumbed to diarrhoea were studied. The bovine strain carried K99-antigen and the porcine strain was K88-positive. Both strains agglutinated pig erythrocytes in the presence of D-mannose. In the test a bacterial cell density of 3 x 10(9) per ml and doubling dilutions hereof were used. The haemagglutination titres were 16 and 128, respectively. When the bacteria were exposed to colistin before mixing with the red cells, haemagglutination was inhibited completely with 1.0 and 0.5 microgram/mg of colistin. At a colistin concentration of 0.25 microgram/ml (1/4-1/2 of the MIC's) the titres were lowered by a factor of 16-32.