Ricerca del gene dell'aerolisina mediante PCR in Aeromonas hydrophila proveniente dalle acque minerali e termali Italiane

In the present study we have used a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique to detect the aerolysin gene in haemolytic and cytotoxic strains of Aeromonas hydrophila. The oligonucleotide primers used amplified a 209 basepair fragment of the aer gene coding for β-hemolysin. Aerolysin is a channel protein able to alter cell permeability and suspected of causing disease. This PCR procedure rapidly identified aerolysin-producing strains of Aeromonas hydrophila coming from mineral waters bottled in Italy and thermal spring waters. The aerolysin gene was found in all strains isolated from the mineral waters and in 91,6% of strains isolated from the thermal waters.