title: Adherence to HEp-2 cells and enteropathogenic potential of Aeromonas spp.
abstract: Aeromonas strains (total = 60) of clinical, water and food origin were tested for adherence to HEp-2 cells. Environmental strains were selected (except for A. caviae) to include primarily those expressing other virulence-associated properties. Adhesion was markedly species-dependent (A. veronii biotype sobria, 15 of 26 [58%]. A caviae, 4 of 12 [33%] and A. hydrophila, 2 of 8 [11%]). A. veronii biotype sobria were adhesive, irrespective of source (62 and 54% for clinical and environmental strains, respectively). Adherent strains of this species were enterotoxin-positive and most (13 of 15) grew at 43 degrees C. A. caviae isolated from clinical specimens contained a higher proportion (75%) of adherent strains than environmental strains (13%). Virulent subsets of A. veronii biotype sobria and A. caviae are adherent to HEp-2 cells. The HEp-2 assay is a useful model for investigating mechanisms of adherence and enteropathogenicity of virulent Aeromonas species.
authors: Department of Pathology, University of Tasmania Clinical School, Hobart, Australia.
authors: P A
authors: PA
authors: Grey
authors: S M
authors: SM
authors: Kirov
mesh_terms: D000333:Aeromonas / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D010641:Phenotype; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014774:Virulence; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D003603:Cytotoxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins