Infections with avian pathogenic and fecal Escherichia coli strains display similar lung histopathology and macrophage apoptosis.

The purpose of this study was to compare histopathological changes in the lungs of chickens infected with avian pathogenic (APEC) and avian fecal (A(fecal)) Escherichia coli strains, and to analyze how the interaction of the bacteria with avian macrophages relates to the outcome of the infection. Chickens were infected intratracheally with three APEC strains, MT78, IMT5155, and UEL17, and one non-pathogenic A(fecal) strain, IMT5104. The pathogenicity of the strains was assessed by isolating bacteria from lungs, kidneys, and spleens at 24 h post-infection (p.

Effects of Bacillus cereus var. toyoi as probiotic feed supplement on intestinal transport and barrier function in piglets.

The objective of the study was to assess the effects of feed supplementation with the probiotic Bacillus cereus var. toyoi on transport and barrier properties of pig jejunum. Sows and their respective piglets were randomly assigned to two feeding groups: a control group and a probiotic group in which the standard diet was supplemented with Bacillus cereus var.

Composition of intestinal Enterobacteriaceae populations of healthy domestic pigs.

In this study, the Enterobacteriaceae microbiota, including their diversity as well as the distribution of haemolytic and virulence gene-harbouring Escherichia coli of 56-day-old healthy piglets, was characterized. Both the composition and the diversity of Enterobacteriaceae populations varied considerably between individual pigs and intestinal sections. E.

Characterization of a porcine intestinal epithelial cell line for in vitro studies of microbial pathogenesis in swine.

In vitro studies on the pathogenesis in swine have been hampered by the lack of relevant porcine cell lines. Since many bacterial infections are swine-specific, studies on pathogenic mechanisms require appropriate cell lines of porcine origin. We have characterized the permanent porcine intestinal epithelial cell line, IPEC-J2, using a variety of methods in order to assess the usefulness of this cell line as an in vitro infection model.