IS AEROMONAS SP. A FOODBORNE PATHOGEN? REVIEW OF THE CLINICAL DATA.

Members of the genus Aeromonas are frequently found in the environment, food, and water. Aeromonas hydrophila is a human pathogen which causes skin infections, septicemia, and endocarditis predominantly in immunocompromised patients. Epidemiological studies indicate that A. hydrophila may be an important cause of food-borne gastroenteritis, but studies in primates and humans have not confirmed the pathogenic role. Further characterization of virulence determinants may clarify the importance of this organism. In this review, the organisms, epidemiological evidence, and the challenge studies are discussed in an attempt to determine the role of Aeromonas sp. in the pathogenesis of food-borne gastroenteritis.