Detection and sequences of the enteroaggregative Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin 1 gene in enterotoxigenic E. coli strains isolated from piglets and calves with diarrhea.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains isolated from piglets and calves with diarrhea were tested for the presence of the enteroaggregative E. coli enterotoxin 1 (EAST1) gene sequences by PCR and colony hybridization. The EAST1 gene was found in most porcine ETEC strains with adherence factor K88, especially in those elaborating heat-labile enterotoxin. One porcine ETEC strain with adherence factor K99 was also positive for the EAST1 gene. In contrast, 987P-positive (987P+) ETEC strains from piglets, K99+ ETEC strains from calves, and K99+ F41+ or F41+ ETEC strains from piglets and calves were negative for the EAST1 gene. The K88ab+ or K88ac+ ETEC strains tested possessed the EAST1 gene on a plasmid that was distinct from a K88-encoding plasmid. The EAST1 gene sequences of the K88+ ETEC strains were identical to each other and 99.1 and 98.3% homologous to the previously reported sequences of ETEC strains colonizing humans and enteroaggregative E. coli strains, respectively. The data indicate that the EAST1 gene is distributed among porcine ETEC strains in association with the adherence factor type.