Real-time PCR for differentiation of F18 variants among enterotoxigenic and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli from piglets with diarrhoea and oedema disease.

One-step real-time PCR using one set of primers and four probes was developed for differentiation of F18 variants (F18 common, F18ab, F18ac, F18new variant) of enterotoxigenic (ETEC) and Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) Escherichia coli from piglets with diarrhoea and oedema disease. The limits of detection for F18common, F18ab, F18ac, and F18new variant were 10(7), 10(7), 10(5) and 10(7)colony forming units/g faeces, respectively. Of 94 Korean isolates of E. coli encoding F18, 70 were F18ac (43 STEC/ETEC, 4 STEC and 23 ETEC), 15 were F18ab (all STEC) and nine were F18new variant (1 STEC/ETEC, 7 STEC, 1 ETEC). Crown