Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 29, 2026

Environmental Screening of Aeromonas hydrophila, Mycobacterium spp., and Pseudocapillaria tomentosa in Zebrafish Systems
Published on: December 8, 2017
Genetic Diversity of Aeromonas spp. Isolates from the Paediatric Population in Latvia Based on Multilocus Sequence
Irina Grave1,2, Aleksandra Rudzate1,2, Edvins Miklasevics1
1Faculty of Medicine, Riga Stradins University, LV-1007 Riga, Latvia.
Insights
This study reveals significant genetic diversity among Aeromonas bacteria in Latvian children with gastroenteritis, identifying many novel strains. Findings highlight a unique local Aeromonas population, necessitating ongoing surveillance.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Molecular Epidemiology
Background:
- Aeromonas species are increasingly recognized as significant pathogens, especially causing gastroenteritis in children.
- Limited molecular data exists for Aeromonas strains in Latvia and the Baltic region.
- Understanding genetic diversity is crucial for tracking pathogen evolution and spread.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the genetic diversity of Aeromonas isolates from pediatric gastroenteritis patients in Latvia.
- To utilize multilocus sequence typing (MLST) for molecular profiling of these isolates.
- To establish a baseline for Aeromonas epidemiology in the Baltic region.
Main Methods:
- Collection of stool samples from pediatric gastroenteritis cases (0-18 years) at Children's Clinical University Hospital (2020-2021).
- Random selection of 30 non-duplicate Aeromonas isolates for molecular characterization.
- Analysis of isolates using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) with data submission to PubMLST.org.
Main Results:
- MLST analysis demonstrated substantial genetic diversity, identifying 25 novel sequence types (STs).
- Three isolates matched previously reported STs; two novel STs were found in duplicate cases.
- The distribution of Aeromonas species and STs in Latvia differed from global datasets, suggesting a distinct local population.
Conclusions:
- This is the first MLST-based characterization of pediatric Aeromonas isolates in Latvia.
- Findings establish a regional baseline for future epidemiological studies in the Baltic area.
- Continued surveillance is recommended, though the small sample size limits direct public health conclusions.
Abstract:
Purpose: Aeromonas species are emerging pathogens associated with a range of human infections, particularly gastroenteritis in the paediatric population. However, data on their molecular characteristics in Latvia and the wider Baltic region remain limited. This study aimed to describe the distribution and genetic diversity of Aeromonas isolates from paediatric patients in Latvia using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Methods: Stool samples were collected from children aged 0-18 years who presented with gastroenteritis at the Children's Clinical University Hospital between 2020 and 2021. A subset of 30 non-duplicate Aeromonas isolates was randomly selected for molecular characterisation and analysed by MLST. Sequence type data were deposited in the PubMLST.org database. Results: MLST analysis revealed substantial genetic diversity, with 25 novel sequence types (STs) being identified and three isolates matching previously reported STs. Two novel STs were detected in duplicate, with an epidemiological link being confirmed in one case. The local distribution of Aeromonas species and STs differed from global PubMLST datasets, suggesting a distinct local population of Aeromonas strains in Latvian paediatric patients. Conclusions: This study provides the first MLST-based description of paediatric Aeromonas isolates in Latvia and establishes a regional baseline for future comparative and epidemiological research. Although limited by a small sample size, the findings contribute to the molecular characterisation of Aeromonas spp. in the Baltic region and support the value of continued surveillance rather than direct public-health inference at this stage.
Related Concept Videos
What is Population Genetics?
Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms
Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms
Conservation of Small Populations
Genetics of Speciation
Animal Mitochondrial Genetics

