E.Coli

Escherichia coli in Rabbits

Escherichia coli, or E. coli, is a Gram-negative, facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped coliform bacterium of the genus *Escherichia*. It is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms.

Taxonomy

• Species: *Escherichia coli*
• Shape: Rod-shaped ([usmslab.com](https://usmslab.com))
• Class: Gammaproteobacteria
• Genus: *Escherichia*
• Order: Enterobacterales
• Family: Enterobacteriaceae
• Phylum: Pseudomonadota

Transmission

E. coli strains capable of causing disease can be transmitted through:

• Contaminated water or food
• Contact with animals or humans

Clinical Presentation

In rabbits, E. coli infection can present as:

• Intestinal lesions
• Diarrhea
• Pneumonia, if inhaled and the lungs become infected

References

• [CDC.gov E.Coli](https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/ecoli-symptoms.html)
• [Attaching and effacing activities of rabbit and human enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in pig and rabbit intestines, Moon et al., 1983](https://journals.asm.org/doi/abs/10.1128/iai.41.3.1340-1351.1983)
• [Lung Vascular Injury after Administration of Viable Hemolysin-forming Escherichia coli in Isolated Rabbit Lungs, Seeger et al., 1990](https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1164/ajrccm/143.4_Pt_1.797?journalCode=arrd)
• [Induction of severe vascular leakage by low doses of Escherichia coli hemolysin in perfused rabbit lungs](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1538589/)
• [Effect of CD14 Blockade in Rabbits with Escherichia coli Pneumonia and Sepsis, Frevert et al., 2000](https://www.jimmunol.org/content/164/10/5439.short)
• [Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Prevalence in Laboratory Rabbits, 2013](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3594591/)
• [Specific adherence of Escherichia coli (strain RDEC-1) to membranous (M) cells of the Peyer's patch in E. coli diarrhea in the rabbit, Inman & Cantey, 1983](https://www.jci.org/articles/view/110737)
• [Diarrhea Due to Escherichia coli in the Rabbit: A Novel Mechanism, Cantey & Blake, 1977](https://academic.oup.com/jid/article-abstract/135/3/454/2189556)
• [The hemolysin of Escherichia coli, Bhakdi et al., 1988](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00144740)
• [Thromboxane-mediated hypertension and vascular leakage evoked by low doses of E. coli hemolysin in rabbit lungs, Seeger et al., 1989](https://www.jci.org/articles/view/114144)

Other Studies of Interest

• [The Rabbit as a New Reservoir Host of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Garcíacorresponding & Fox, 2003](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3034324/)
• [Experimental infection of infant rabbits with verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli, Pai et al., 1986](https://journals.asm.org/doi/abs/10.1128/iai.51.1.16-23.1986)