Attachment of human and pig (K88) enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strains to either human or porcine small intestinal cells

Abstract

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strains pathogenic for humans and enterotoxigenic E. coli strains pathogenic for pigs producing the K88 pili antigen both bound to isolated small intestinal cells from either humans or pigs. Neither the K99 enterotoxigenic E. coli (from lambs and calves) nor the rabbit pathogenic strain RDEC-1 bound to human or pig small intestinal cells under the same conditions.