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Epidemiology and characterization of Escherichia coli outbreak on a pig farm in South Africa

An investigation of mortality of piglets through clinical signs, post-mortem, histopathology and bacteriological analyses revealed the causal organism to be Escherichia coli, mainly O149:K91:K88 which belongs to the enterotoxigenic biotypes. Molecular characterization and epidemiologic analysis elucidated it as shiga-toxin (ST) E. coli resistant to ampicillin, cefotaxime, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tylosin and neomycin. Conventional PCR results detected genes for ST-2, adhesin involved in diffuse adherence (AIDA-1) and F18 fimbriae virulence factors. Survival analyses and logistic regression of piglet mortality patterns showed that season of weaning, weaning weight and age of dam had significant influence on survival rate of piglets. Factors affecting pathogenicity of bowel edema and survival of affected piglets on a farm with persistent infection were reported for the first time. An association of E. coli O149:K91:K88 (F4) with clinical edema disease was made even though it has been reported in the past that this serotype does not produce ST. It was concluded that more stringent measures to mitigate the impact of the disease need to be targeted for spring and in older sows.