Role of aeromonas isolated from feces of Finnish patients.
Aeromonas species were isolated from 249/13,027 (1.9%) stool samples submitted to the Dept. of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, during 1 year, to be cultured for bacterial enteropathogens. Aeromonas was the third most common enteropathogen isolated, after campylobacter (3.6%) and salmonella (3.3%). Isolates and clinical information from 234 Aeromonas patients were available for further study. A. caviae (41%), A. hydrophila (27%), and A. veronii biovar sobria (22%) were the most frequent isolates. In 15% of the patients, other enteropathogens were found along with aeromonas. Only 2% of all aeromonas-positive patients were found to be asymptomatic, whereas no aeromonas isolates were detected in the stools of 343 asymptomatic individuals. Almost all (96%) patients with aeromonas in their feces had gastroenteritis. Patients infected with A. veronii biovar sobria had a shorter illness course and had more often travelled abroad. In conclusion, Aeromonas spp. were found to be a potential cause of diarrhea in Finnish patients.
Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
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Rautelin
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Sivonen
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Kuikka
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Renkonen
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Valtonen
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Lehti
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Kahanpää
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Kosunen
D000328:Adult; D000333:Aeromonas / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000382:microbiology; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012475:Salmonella / Q000302:isolation & purification