Aeromonas spp associated with children's diarrhoea in Tehran: a case-control study

The study sought a possible pathogenic role for Aeromonas spp in Tehranian children presenting with diarrhoea. During a 10-month period (February to October 2001), 310 children <10 years of age with diarrhoea and a group of 310 age- and sex-matched controls were selected. Both groups were investigated for diarrhoeal pathogens. Of 310 children who presented with acute diarrhoea, Aeromonas spp was isolated from 14 (4.5%) (A. veronii biovar sobria 8, A. caviae 5 and A. hydrophila 1). The isolation rate was significantly higher than in the controls (p<0.001). Other enteropathogens were also more commonly isolated in children with diarrhoea: 57 (18.4%) Shigella spp (p<0.0001), 8 (2.6%) Salmonella spp (p<0.01), 7 (2.3%) enteropathogenic E. coli (p<0.05) and 8 (2.6%) Giardia lamblia (p<0.01). No enteropathogens were isolated in the control group. Dysentery was the dominant clinical feature in children positive for Aeromonas spp.