HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by TROWER, C.J. Articles by ITZSTEIN, M. V. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by TROWER, C.J. Articles by ITZSTEIN, M. V. Agricola Articles by TROWER, C.J. Articles by ITZSTEIN, M. V.

Production of an enterotoxin by a gastro-enteritis-associated Aeromonas strain

Departments of Medicinal Chemistry and *Pharmaceutics, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia

Corresponding author: Professor M. von Itzstein (e-mail: mark.vonitzstein{at}vcp.monash.edu.au).

Received 14 April 1999; revised version accepted 20 July 1999.

Abstract

The potential of motile Aeromonas species to cause human gastrointestinal infections has been recognised recently. Considerable worldwide epidemiological, microbiological and clinical investigations have shown that some strains of the different motile aeromonads are of increasing enteropathogenic significance, especially in children, the elderly and in immunocompromised individuals. Some of the diarrhoeal symptoms of Aeromonas-associated gastro-enteritis have been attributed to enterotoxins. In this study, 15 Aeromonas isolates from clinical and non-clinical sources, representing the three motile aeromonads commonly associated with gastro-enteritis (A. caviae, A. hydrophila and A. veronii biovar sobria), were tested for their ability to cause fluid accumulation in infant mice by the suckling mouse technique. Eight isolates were found to produce enterotoxin. Of these, an A. veronii biovar sobria strain (AS15), isolated from lamb kidney, was found to produce the highest enterotoxin score. An enterotoxin of c. 40 kDa produced by A. veronii biovar sobria AS15 was purified by Sephacryl S-100 gel filtration and high-performance liquid chromatography. This enterotoxin caused marked fluid accumulation in infant mice by the suckling mouse technique. The purified enterotoxin cross-reacted with cholera toxin antibodies and was readily inactivated by heating at 56°C for 10 min. The production of a `cholera-like' enterotoxin by Aeromonas isolates from samples of animal origin suggests that these organisms could be of public health significance in food products.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. W. Chu, C. H. Wong, G. K. L. Tsang, M. S. W. Kwok, R. K. O. Wong, J. Y. C. Lo, and K. M. Kam Lack of association between presentation of diarrhoeal symptoms and faecal isolation of Aeromonas spp. amongst outpatients in Hong Kong. J. Med. Microbiol., March 1, 2006; 55(Pt 3): 349 - 351. [Full Text] [PDF]