VIRULENCE FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH PATHOGENICITY OF AEROMONAS ISOLATES

Aeromonas species have been associated with diarrhea, and disseminating infections. Diarrhea is either “cholera-like” or “dysentery-like”. Both types of diarrhea are normally mild. However, either type can be severe enough to cause hospitalization. The sources of Aeromonas in these infections are foods and water. Two virulence factors associated with Aeromonas diarrhea are a relatively heat-stable cholera-like enterotoxin and a heat-labile cytotoxic enterotoxin. Researchers who observed either of these enterotoxins rarely saw evidence of the other. These differences are probably due to the rare occurrence of the cholera-like toxin and to differences in purification methods. Human feeding studies showed that enterotoxin production is not sufficient for causation of diarrhea. The Aeromonas must also be able to colonize the intestine or invade the intestinal lining. Virulence factors associated with colonization or invasion have not been identified.