The growth and expression of virulence factors at refrigeration temperature by Aeromonas strains isolated from foods.

A potentially significant subset (10%, 6/61) of Aeromonas strains isolated from food (milk, lamb, chicken, seafood), all A. veronii biotype sobria, were able to produce two or more exotoxins (haemolysin, enterotoxin, and cytotoxin) at 37 degrees C, and grow well at 43 degrees C. Although mesophilic organisms, they grew at 5 degrees C. In addition, they could adhere to HEp-2 cells when grown at 37 degrees C, or at 5 degrees C, and expressed flexible pili (possible colonization factors) in greater numbers at the lower temperature. These strains, as well as other exotoxin-producing strains (A. veronii biotype sobria and A. hydrophila) (33%, 20/61) lacking adhesive ability, were able to produce cytotoxins in broth cultures over a seven to 10-day period at 5 degrees C. One strain in particular, an A. hydrophila isolated from goats' milk, grew rapidly at low temperature. This psychrotrophic strain produced all three exotoxins within 3 days in broth cultures at 5 degrees C. The properties of the above strains suggest they could be of public health significance in food products that have an extended shelf-life at refrigeration temperature.