S. Ananthan et Sv. Alavandi, Biochemical characteristics & secretory activity of Aeromonas species isolated from children with gastroenteritis in Chennai, I J MED RES, 109, 1999, pp. 136-140
An attempt was made to delineate the phenotypic markers far the detection o
f enterotoxigenic strains of Aeromonas. Eighteen Aeromonas species comprisi
ng one isolate of A. hydrophila, six isolates of A. sobria and 11 isolates
of A, caviae were obtained from 379 children suffering from acute diarrhoea
in Chennai. Nine of these isolates inclusive of three A. sobria and six A.
caviae were found to produce secretory response in vitro in the rabbit int
estinal mucosa mounted in the Ussing chambers as revealed by significant in
creases in the short circuit current. Eleven strains hydrolysed aesculin, 8
fermented arabinose, 6 produced acetyl methyl carbinol, 14 produced lysine
decarboxylase, 3 fermented salicin, 9 produced beta-haemolysin, 9 produced
CAMP-like factor and only two isolates took up congo red dye. None of thes
e phenotypic traits were found to correlate with the in vitro secretory act
ivity.