Effects of ETEC in an in vitro model of piglet colon

Weaning is the most critical event in swine industry due to the high amounts of stress encountered by animals at social, dietary or environmental levels. Physiological consequences of weaning stressors are profuse and lead to high incidence of post-weaning diarrhea and enteric infections in piglets. Mortality and morbidity associated with these infections induce substantial economic losses and the overuse of antibiotics as therapeutics. The massive use of antibiotics considerably increases the spreading of antibiotic resistance genes in bacteria and represents a real threat for animal and human health. As the etiology of post-weaning infections is not well-known, research and development of non-pharmacological alternatives to antibiotics is limited. By using an in vitro gut model mimicking colon microbial ecosystem and avoiding the use of animals, our research participates to the gain of knowledge about the onset of post-weaning diarrhea and infection in piglets.