EN
The aim of the study was to determine F18 fimbriae in E. coli strains isolated from pigs with diarrhea and with edema disease, respectively. Thirty nine strains were used in which the F18 antigen was tested by the slide agglutination and PCR tests. Expression of fimbriae was determined on blood agar and on Iso-Sensitest medium supplemented with eosin and alizarin. The strains were cultured in aerobic conditions and in an atmosphere with 10% CO₂ had positive influence on the results obtained in the slide agglutination test (61.5% positive strains) as compared to the cultures grown in aerobic conditions (51.3% F18⁺ strains). Using PCR 28 strains (71.8%) with the fed A genes encoding, F18 fimbriae were detected. The F18 antigen was shown in E. coli strains of different serogroups isolated from piglets with diarrhea and with edema disease.