Intestinal cell adhesion and maximum growth temperature of psychrotrophic aeromonads from surface water.

Investigation of 650 Aeromonas strains taken from surface water--used as a source of drinking water--and from the associated drinking water treatment plants has demonstrated that only a small proportion of the strains are endowed with intestinal cell adhesion and growth at 39 degrees C; these characteristics are concurrently encountered in Aeromonas strains from clinical material. The investigations permit the conclusion that even the Aeromonas species, of which certain strains are pathogenic to human, cannot generally be viewed as being potentially pathogenic.