Different pig phenotypes affect adherence of Escherichia coli to jejunal brush borders by K88ab, K88ac, or K88ad antigen

Abstract

At least 5 different porcine phenotypes were distinguished with the 3 serological variants of the K88 antigen in the brush border adhesion test. Pigs of one phenotype (A) are susceptible to adherence of all 3 variants, pigs of 3 phenotypes are susceptible to only 2 (B and C) or one (D) of the K88 variants, and pigs of one phenotype (E) are entirely resistant to adhesion of K88 antigen. Preincubation of type A brush borders with an excess of purified K88ad antigen did not interfere with the adhesion of K88ab- or K88ac-positive Escherichia coli, whereas in most cases K88ab and K88ac antigen completely blocked the adhesion of K88ad-positive E. coli. Likewise, K88ab antigen blocked the adhesion of K88ac-producing E. coli to both type A and type B brush borders, and vice versa.