Abstract

One hundred and sixty four rectal swab samples were collected from 110 live diarrheic piglets and 54 healthy piglets during an investigation on the prevalence of HPI-harboring Escherichia coli (HPI ⁺ E. coli) infection associated with porcine diarrhea. The data of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed the presence of HPI ⁺ E. coli in 58.18% of swabs taken from diarrheic piglets, while 44.44% of samples taken from healthy pigs were so positive. Further PCR examination of 600 bacterial isolates from diarrheic samples revealed that 25 isolates were HPI ⁺E. coli while 4 (16%) were F4⁺, 2 (8%) were F4⁺ and F6⁺, 2 (8%) were F4⁺ and F6⁺, and one (4%) was F6⁺, LTa⁺ and STb⁺. Among the 480 bacterial isolates from non-diarrheic samples, 20 isolates were HPI ⁺ E. coli, and only one (5%) was LTa⁺ and STb⁺, while absence of isolates belonging to the F4⁺ and F6⁺ groups was noted. O138 was the vast prevalent serotype among the HPI ⁺E. coli isolates. It is suggested that HPI ⁺ E. coli maybe an opportunistic pathogen in swine.

Key words: Escherichia coli, HPI, prevalence, piglet.