Differences in production of several extracellular virulence factors in clinical and food Aeromonas spp. strains.

Production of several extracellular virulence factors (lipase, protease and haemolysin) was compared in 15 Aeromonas spp. isolated from faeces of patients with Aeromonas-associated gastroenteritis and 81 strains isolated from food. Strains from food did not show differences in production of these factors when compared with strains isolated from faeces. However, if strains were considered in relation to autoagglutination (AA) character, the AA+ differed from AA- strains in lipase and protease production. Supernatant fluids of AA+ food and human strains showed 2.5-fold more protease production than that observed in AA- strains. These two characteristics of certain Aeromonas strains could be related with the more virulent capacity.