IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF Aeromonas caviae ISOLATED FROM CLINICAL SAMPLES COLLECTED DURING THE 2010 HAITIAN CHOLERA OUTBREAK

Abstract

Diarrheal disease is a leading cause of child mortality worldwide. Bacteria belonging to the genus Aeromonas have been debated as one of the causative agents of gastroenteritis. During the 2010 Haitian cholera outbreak, fecal samples were gathered from 81 patients suffering symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. These isolates were investigated for Vibrio cholerae and Aeromonas species. Bacteria from these samples were isolated and chacterized using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and biochemical testing. Identification of Aeromonas was performed to species level using multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) analysis. Aeromonas caviae was identified in 17 fecal samples (21%). Putative virulence factors in each strain were determined using additional PCR and biochemical analysis. Both V. cholerae and A. caviae were confirmed in seven of the 17 samples, suggesting potential polymicrobial infection.