Effects of different temperatures on virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance of Aeromonas isolated from retail food

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the public health significance of representative motile Aeromonas isolates, which were mainly isolated from different foods, and to determine the effects of different temperatures on virulence factors such as hemolysin, protease, lipase and nuclease. The influence of different temperatures (+4 degrees C, +25 degrees C and +37 degrees C) on virulence factors of 40 isolates of Aeromonas (A.) spp. (A. hydrophila, A. caviae and A. sobria) was investigated. All isolates could produce hemolysin, protease, lipase, and nuclease at +37 degrees C, +25 degrees C and +4 degrees C; however, these virulence associated factors were produced faster at +37 degrees C and +25 C than at +4 C. All Aeromonas species were also tested for antibiotic resistance patterns and were found to be resistant to ampicillin, yet sensitive to imipenem, ciprofloxacin and amikacin antibiotics.