AF/R2 adhesin and cytopathic effect as virulence traits of diarrhea-inducing Escherichia coli O103 in European rabbit

Escherichia coli strains belonging to 0103:K-:H2 serovar and rhamnose negative biovars are responsible for frequent life-threatening diarrheas in weaned rabbits from national breeding units in western Europe (Blanco et al., 1994; Camguilhem and A. Milon, 1989). According to their mechanisms of pathogenesis, these strains may be considered as enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC)-like. They adhere to intestinal brush border and to HeLa cells by mean of an adhesin called AF/R2 (Adhesive Factor/Rabbit 2) (Milon et al., 1990). They do not produce known toxins (i.e. ST, LT, SLT, CNF, CLDT) (Blanco et al., 1994; Mariani-Kurkdjian et al., 1993) and bear sequences homologous to EPEC eaeA (Leroy et al., 1…