Interaction of EAEC with the intestinal epithelium. Interaction of EAEC with the intestinal epithelium. (A) Photomicrograph of the ileum of a gnotobiotic piglet fed EAEC strain 042. The arrow points to the thick mucus gel adhering to the intestinal mucosa (666). (B) High magnification of the ileal mucosa of a piglet fed EAEC strain 17-2 as in panel A. Note the aggregates of bacteria coating the villous surface. The villi are edematous, and the enterocytes themselves appear swollen. Reprinted from reference665 with permission of the publisher. James P. Nataro, and James B. Kaper Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 1998; doi:10.1128/CMR.11.1.142