Escherichia coli Isolated from Domestic Animals Pathogenic for Gnotobiotic Piglets

Three strains of Escherichia coli isolated from infectious processes in a calf, a dog, and a cat were examined for their capacity to produce disease or death, or both, in newborn gnotobiotic piglets. The O groups represented by these particular strains of E. coli were O4: (canine origin), O6: (feline origin), and O39: (bovine origin). All three isolates upon oral administration proved to be pathogenic. Infection with the E. coli O4: (canine) or O39: (bovine) consistently produced signs of enteric coli-bacillosis and death in all 1- and 3-day-old piglets within 24 to 48 hr. The O6: (feline) isolate, on the other hand, produced a marked polyserositis and generally required 6 to 7 days to kill a piglet. Only the respective type of E. coli used in the particular trial was recovered from the diseased piglets. These findings suggest the possible role of domestic animals and household pets in the spread of potentially pathogenic E. coli to other species.