RAPID IDENTIFICATION OF AEROMONAS SPECIES USING 16S RDNA TARGETED OLIGONUCLEOTIDE PRIMERS - A MOLECULAR APPROACH BASED ON SCREENING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISOLATES

Published 16S rDNA sequencing data for Aeromonas species were analysed and the validity of signature sequences derived from our investigatio ns of these sequences was examined by sequencing the corresponding 16S rDNA regions of 67 environmental isolates from sewage effluents and r eceiving waters around Sydney and one clinical isolate, all previously classified as Aeromonas species. Species-specific probes for Aer. hyd rophila and Aer. veronii were designed and tested in PCR assays and cl early discriminated these species from the other Aeromonas isolates as identified by 16S rDNA sequences.