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In vivo transfer of R factors between Escherichia coli strains inoculated into the rumen of sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

M. G. Smith
M. G. Smith
Affiliation:
CSIRO Division of Food Research, P.O. Box 12, Cannon Hill, Queensland, Australia, 4170
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Summary

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Substantial transfer of R factors occurred in vivo, under certain conditions, in the rumen of adult sheep in the absence of any antibiotic treatment. A starvation period of 24–48 hr. was required to produce the conditions necessary, when even quite low inocula (ca. 103 cells) of donor and recipient E. coli could grow within the rumen and reach a population density sufficient for transfer to take place. The results indicate that under the same conditions R factors may be transferred between organisms in the lower intestinal tract also. Without the starvation period, the inoculation of even massive numbers (1010 cells) of the same organisms resulted in almost no detectable transfer.

Some of the experimental animals on which a starvation period was imposed became carriers of either the inoculated recipient E. coli, or of R factor bearing coliforms, and these formed 1–10% of the total coliform population of the faeces for at least 6 weeks.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 75 , Issue 3 , December 1975 , pp. 363 - 370
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1975

References

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