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Updated: May 4, 2026

Detection of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia Coli Colonization in Murine Host by Non-invasive In Vivo Bioluminescence System
Published on: April 9, 2018
Outbreak of pathogenic Escherichia coli in an outdoor-housed non-human primate colony
K Kolappaswamy1, J Nazareno, W P Porter
1Harlan Laboratories, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Background:
Pathogenic Escherichia coli has been identified as an etiologic agent in humans causing acute diarrhea or even death but has been rarely reported in non-human primates (NHP). An outbreak of diarrhea occurred in an outdoor-housed NHP colony over a period of 2 months with an attack rate of 29%.
Methods:
Bacterial culture and PCR were performed on the fecal specimens to identify enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) and Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) in the NHPs.
Results:
By random sampling of 10% of fecal samples of diarrheal cases, four cases of EIEC in rhesus macaques and two cases of EHEC in cynomolgus macaques were confirmed.
Conclusion:
This is the first time EIEC and EHEC have been reported in NHPs associated with diarrhea. The primary source of infection could not be determined.
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