Figure 1

Effect of oral administration of BLS-mix on F4 ⁺ ETEC/VTEC/EPEC- associated enteritis in newly weaned F4ab/acR ⁻ pigs. (A) Jejunal histological scores. (B) Representative photomicrographs of hematoxylin- and eosin-stained jejunal sections. Scale bars, 100 μm. (C) Ileal histological scores. (D) Representative photomicrographs of hematoxylin- and eosin-stained ileal sections. Scale bars, 100 μm. The F4 ab/acR⁻ pigs received sterile physiological saline orally (CONT), sterile physiological saline orally followed by F4⁺ ETEC/VTEC/EPEC (1.0 × 10⁹ CFU/mL, 10 mL, per os (p.o.)) challenge (ETEC), were pretreated with a low dose of BLS-mix (3.9 × 10⁷ CFU/mL, 10 mL once daily, p.o.) for 1 week followed by F4⁺ ETEC/VTEC/EPEC challenge (LDBE), or were pretreated with a high dose of BLS-mix (7.8 × 10⁷ CFU/mL, 10 mL once daily, p.o.) for 1 week followed by F4⁺ ETEC/VTEC/EPEC challenge (HDBE). n = 8 per group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01; non-parametric Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney U-test.