Epidemiological relationships between Aeromonas strains isolated from symptomatic children and household environments as determined by ribotyping

Ribotyping was used to study the epidemiology of Aeromonas associated gastr o-enteritis in young children. Ribotyping patterns of 29 Aeromonas strains (16 Aeromonas caviae, 8 Aeromonas hydrophila, 3 Aeromonas eucrenophila, 1 A eromonas veronii, and 1 Aeromonas encheleia) isolated from primary stool cu ltures of sick children were compared using the GelCompare software with pa tterns of 104 strains (39 Aeromonas eucrenophila, 29 Aeromonas caviae, 11 A eromonas encheleia, 10 Aeromonas hydrophila, 6 Aeromonas bestiarum, 3 Aerom onas veronii, 3 Aeromonas popoffii and 3 Aeromonas media) isolated from the ir household environment in order to investigate the route of transmission of these bacteria. Fifteen strains (approximate to 47%) isolated from stool cultures of patients showed the same riboprofile as strains found in conta cts or environment. In particular, three strains isolated from patients sha red the same riboprofile with strains found in their domestic environment. The wide diffusion of potentially pathogenic Aeromonas strains in our house hold samples, and the high rate of asymptomatic carriers among family membe rs, suggested that predisposing factors of the host could make children pro ne to an Aeromonas-related intestinal disease.