OCCURRENCE OF PLESIOMONAS-SHIGELLOIDES IN WATER ENVIRONMENTS OF RIO-DE-JANEIRO CITY

Fresh and salt water samples analyzed in Rio de Janeiro city showed th e presence of Plesiomonas shigelloides. Forty-six strains were isolate d from both environments. A high incidence of P. shigelloides was achi eved in polluted fresh and salt waters as well as in samples from non- polluted streams. P. shigelloides isolates had biochemical characteris tics similar to those already described in the literature. None of the isolates analyzed produced enterotoxin in the suckling mouse assay. H emolytic activity against sheep and human type A erythrocytes was dete cted in the strains tested. The results of the antibiotic susceptibili ty rests indicated that all the isolates were susceptible to the cepha losporins, penicillins combinated with a beta-lactamase inhibitor, ami noglycosides, imipenem, norfloxacin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol and trimethoprim-sulfamerhoxazole. All the isolates were resistant to the penicillins.