Publication details
Aeromonas
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2019 |
| Type | Chapter of a book |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Gram-negative Aeromonas species are ubiquitous in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. Their adaptability to various ecosystems has resulted in their isolation from a wide variety of organisms, spanning mammals to teleosts. As the awareness of this genus grows, its prevalence and economic impact continue to increase. Because of their aquatic nature, aeromonads have been isolated from most agricultural food products, whether directly or as a result of contamination within the food processing system. Additionally, seafood, especially finfish, is vulnerable to Aeromonas-associated diseases. Most food- and water-related human illnesses caused by aeromonads are due to the species Aeromonas hydrophila, A. veronii, A. caviae, and A. dhakensis. This genus has demonstrated its pathogenic nature in conditions ranging from gastroenteritis to wound infections to severe life-threatening septicemia due to a myriad of virulence factors, including adhesion molecules (i.e., lateral flagella and pili), capsules, cytotonic and cytotoxic enterotoxins (i.e., Alt, Ast, Act and AerA), hemolysins, and degradative enzymes, as well as the formation of biofilms. Thanks to their ubiquitous nature, in combination with overuse of antibiotics agriculturally and clinically, aeromonads have acquired an alarming resistance to a plethora of antibiotics. Therefore, this genus can serve as biological reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes; intergenus gene exchange between members of the Enterobacteriaceae and the Aeromonadaceae has been documented. Together, Aeromonas spp. present multiple risks: they are foodborne pathogens; they impose economic burdens on the food industry due to contamination, resulting in food spoilage; and they act as reservoirs of antibiotic resistance, resulting in clinical infections that are more resilient to treatment. |