Experimental evidence for toxin production by Aeromonas hydrophila and Aeromonas sobria in a meat extract at low temperatures.

The ability of enterotoxigenic strains of Aeromonas hydrophila and Aeromonas sobria to produce exotoxins (enterotoxin and haemolysin) in a meat extract at low temperatures (5 and 12 degrees C) was investigated. All three strains incubated at 12 degrees C were enterotoxigenic and haemolytic in the meat extract after 5 days. At 5 degrees C, five of the six strains tested were able to produce these exotoxins after 8 days incubation while one strain was neither enterotoxigenic nor haemolytic after 5, 8 and 11 days. The possible involvement of performed toxin(s) in Aeromonas gastroenteritis is also discussed.