[Aeromonas punctata subsp. caviae as the causative agent of acute gastroenteritis (author's transl)]

Since in the past, Aeromonas hydrophila had been isolated from all cases of human infection described. A. punctata and the anaerogenic sub-species were considered as apathogenic. From the case described, a close association between acute diarrhea with vomiting and the identification of A. punctata subsp. caviae becomes evident so that a conditional pathogenicity of this sub-species must be assumed. The question is discussed whether a preceding disturbance of the intestinal habitat in the presence of a particular susceptibility of the gastrointestinal tract promoted gastro-enteritis. Infection may have been brought about by the ingestion of surface water contaminated by sewage. Attention is again drawn to the fact that in the case of enteritis occuring during the open-air bathing season, faeces samples should also be examined for their Aeromonas content which may be performed by a simple indophenol or so-called cytochrome oxidase reaction of the aerobic flora in feces by rubbing off colonies into a corresponding test strip.