Histopathological investigations of rabbit colibacteriosis, caused by enteropathogenic escherichia coli (O15:H-)

The histopathological alterations in the intestinal tract of recently weaned rabbits with experimental and spontaneous Eschercihia coli (O15:H-) infection were followed. A considerable shortening and thickening of well epithelized intestinal villi were observed, whose tips, after a Warthin-Starry staining, were profusely colonized with coliform bacteria. The observed pathological pattern was a permanent finding in such infections and could be used as a pathognomic feature in the differential diagnosis of spontaneous diarrhoeic syndromes. The adhesion of colibacteria to enterocytes, together with the data from the bacteriological studies (isolation, identification, determination of the O-serogroup affiliation and the biochemical behaviour) allowed the assignment of isolates to the group of enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC). Only when required, more detailed diagnostical procedures as PCR, could be performed.