title: A study on the prevalence of Aeromonas spp. and its enterotoxin genes in samples of well water, tap water, and bottled water.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this work was to study the prevalence of Aeromonas spp. and its enterotoxin genes in various water sources.
  
  
  METHODS
  125 samples (50 from well water, 50 from tap water, and 25 from bottled water) were collected from various sources in and around Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and examined for the presence of aeromonads by both cultural and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Alkaline peptone water with ampicillin was used as enrichment. Aeromonas isolation medium and ampicillin dextrin agar were used as selective media. The boiling and snap chilling method was used for DNA extraction. Primers targeted against 16S rRNA, aer, and ast were used to identify aeromonads and its enterotoxins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  48%, 18%, and 12% of well water, tap water, and bottled water samples were found positive by cultural assay with an overall prevalence of 28.8%. Aeromonads were detected in 32 % (52% in well water, 20% in tap water, and 16% in bottled water) of samples by PCR assay. Aerolysin (aer) gene was noticed in 34.6%, 20%, and 0% of well water, tap water, and bottled water samples, respectively, with an overall prevalence of 27.5%. Thermostable cytotonic enterotoxin (ast) was observed in 37.5% (42.3% in well water, 30% in tap water, and 25% in bottled mineral water) of samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Presence of aeromonads and its toxin genes in various sources of water is of public health concern and emphasizes the need for necessary preventive measures to tackle the problem.
authors.affiliation: Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Hareesh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Didugu
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Science, Proddatur, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Madhavarao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thirtham
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary Science, Rajendranagar, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: Krishnaiah
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nelapati
authors.affiliation: Department of Livestock Products Technology, Sri P.V. Narsimha Rao Telangana State University for Veterinary, Animal and Fishery Sciences, Rajendranagar, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: K Kondal
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary Science, Rajendranagar, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: Baba Saheb
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kumbhar
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary Science, Rajendranagar, Telangana, India.
authors.forename: Anusha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poluru
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Veterinary Science, Proddatur, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Guruvishnu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pothanaboyina
keywords: Aeromonas spp; enterotoxins; polymerase chain reaction; prevalence; water