VIRULENCE PROPERTIES OF CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT AEROMONAS SPECIES - EVIDENCE FOR PATHOGENICITY

Members of the genus Aeromonas are responsible for a significant numbe r of intestinal and extra-intestinal infections in humans as well as o ther animals. However, their true role in enteric disease has been hin dered by an inadequate human volunteer study, lack of an appropriate a nimal model and deficiencies in diagnostic procedures. The latter are probably responsible in part for the small number of outbreaks that ha ve been reported. Despite these difficulties, several recent outbreaks and epidemiological studies have indicated strong association between isolation of Aeromonas and enteric disease. This has further stimulat ed research into potential pathogenic properties of Aeromonas, and muc h progress has been made over the last few years with regard to coloni zation, protection from the host and extracellular factors. It is hope d that these advances in elucidating the role of potential pathogenici ty factors will be matched by interest and diagnostic studies, so that together the true nature of Aeromonas in disease will be more closely understood.