Clinical involvement of Aeromonas hydrophila

Aeromonas hydrophila has for some time been regarded as an opportunistic pathogen in hosts with impaired local or general defence mechanisms. Infections in such individuals are generally severe. The organism is also being isolated with increasing frequency throughout the world from a variety of focal and systemic infections of varying severity in persons that are apparently immunologically normal. Most commonly it causes acute diarrheal disease by producing an enterotoxin. Thus the organism appears to have greater clinical significance that was hitherto suspected. The organism has been infrequently reported from humans in Canada, but its correct laboratory identification, together with increased awareness that it can contribute to illness, will undoubtedly lead to more reports of its isolation in Canada.