CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF ENTEROTOXICITY OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI STRAINS

The enterotoxigenic potential of 166 strains of Escherichia coli isolated from patiens suffering from diarrhea was tested. The presence of heat-labile enterotoxin (LT-I) was followed in Biken and coagglutination tests as well as in a rabbit ileal loop test. As a specific antiserum in two in vitro tests antiserum against LT-I was used. Heat-stable enterotoxin (STa) was assayed by the suckling mice test. We found that from 166 followed E. coli strains only 1 strain produced LT-I as well as STa. Our result indicate that participation of ETEC E. coli strains in diarrhea in our population maybe not important.