Aeromonas

	Email		Print
	Bookmark		Link

Aeromonas

Aeromonas is a gram-negative

Gram-negative

Gram-negative bacteria are those bacteria that do not retain crystal violet dye in the Gram staining protocol. In a Gram stain test, a counterstain is added after the crystal violet, coloring all Gram-negative bacteria with a red or pink color....
, facultative anaerobic rod

Facultative anaerobic organism

A facultative anaerobic organism is an organism, usually a bacterium, that makes Adenosine triphosphate by aerobic respiration if oxygen is present but is also capable of switching to Fermentation ....
that morphologically resembles members of the family Enterobacteriaceae

Enterobacteriaceae

The Enterobacteriaceae are a large family of bacterium, including many of the more familiar pathogens, such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli....
. Fourteen species of Aeromonas have been described, most of which have been associated with human diseases. The most important pathogens are A. hydrophila
Aeromonas hydrophila

Aeromonas hydrophila is a heterotrophic, gram-negative bacterium, mainly found in areas with a warm climate. This bacterium can also be found in fresh, salt, marine, estuarine, chlorinated, and un-chlorinated water....
, A. caviae, and A. veronii
Aeromonas veronii

Aeromonas veronii is a gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium found in fresh water and in association with animals. It can be a pathogen of humans and a beneficial symbiont of leeches....
biovar sobria. The organisms are ubiquitous in fresh and brackish water.

Two major diseases associated with Aeromonas are gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis is inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, involving both the stomach and the small intestine and resulting in acute diarrhea....
and wound infections, with or without bacteremia

Bacteremia

Bacteraemia is the presence of bacterium in the blood. The blood is normally a sterile environment, so the detection of bacteria in the blood is always abnormal....
.

Discussion

Ask a question about 'Aeromonas'

Start a new discussion about 'Aeromonas'

Answer questions from other users

Full Discussion Forum

Encyclopedia

Aeromonas is a gram-negative

Gram-negative

Facultative anaerobic organism

Enterobacteriaceae

Gastroenteritis

Bacteremia

Bacteraemia is the presence of bacterium in the blood. The blood is normally a sterile environment, so the detection of bacteria in the blood is always abnormal....
. Gastroenteritis typically occurs after the ingestion of contaminated water or food, whereas wound infections result from exposure to contaminated water.

Although some potential virulence factors (e.g. endotoxin

Endotoxin

Endotoxins are toxins associated with certain bacteria. Classically, an "endotoxin" is a toxin which, unlike an "exotoxin", is not secreted in soluble form by live bacteria, but is a structural component in the bacteria which is released mainly when bacteria are lysis....
s, hemolysin

Hemolysin

Hemolysins are exotoxins produced by bacteria which causes lysis of red blood cells in vitro. Visualization of hemolysis of red blood cells in agar plates facilitates the categorization of some pathogenic bacteria such as Streptococcus....
s, enterotoxin

Enterotoxin

An enterotoxin is a protein toxin released by a microorganism in the intestine.Enterotoxins are frequently cytotoxic and kill cells by altering the Semipermeable membrane of the epithelial cells of the intestinal wall....
s, adherence factors) have been identified, their precise role is unknown. Aeromonas species cause: 1) opportunistic systemic disease in immunocompromised

Immunodeficiency

Immunodeficiency is a state in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious disease is compromised or entirely absent. Most cases of immunodeficiency are acquired but some people are born with defects in the immune system, or primary immunodeficiency....
patients, 2) diarrheal disease in otherwise healthy individuals, and 3) wound infections.

differential diagnosis caution

If automated machines are not using the most updated database, Elizabethkingia meningoseptica may be mistaken as Aeromonas salmonicida. Leeches have been implicated in the transmission of Aeromonas infections to humans.

Gastroenteritis

Gastrointestinal disease in children is usually an acute, severe illness, whereas that in adults tends to be chronic diarrhea. Severe Aeromonas gastroenteritis resembles shigellosis

Shigellosis

Shigellosis, also known as bacillary dysentery in its most severe manifestation, is a foodborne illness caused by infection by bacterium of the genus Shigella....
, with blood and leukocytes in the stool. Acute diarrheal disease is self limited, and only supportive care is indicated in affected patients.

Antimicrobial Therapy

Is necessary for patients with chronic diarrheal disease or systemic infection. Aeromonas species are resistant to penicillin

Penicillin

Penicillin is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi. They are Beta-lactam antibiotics used in the treatment of bacterial infections caused by susceptible, usually Gram-positive, organisms....
s, most cephalosporin

Cephalosporin

The cephalosporins are a class of beta-lactam antibiotic originally derived from Acremonium, which was previously known as "Cephalosporium"....
s, and erythromycin

Erythromycin

Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic that has an antimicrobial spectrum similar to or slightly wider than that of penicillin, and is often used for people who have an allergy to penicillins....
. Ciprofloxacin

Ciprofloxacin

Ciprofloxacin is a synthetic chemotherapeutic agent used to treat severe and life threatening bacterial infections. Ciprofloxacin is commonly referred to as a fluoroquinolone drug and is a member of the quinolone class of antibacterials....
is consistently active against their strains in the U.S. and Europe, but resistant cases have been reported in Asia.