Microbiologic and clinical evidence supporting the role of Aeromonas caviae as a pediatric enteric pathogen.

Aeromonas caviae was recovered as the sole potential enteric pathogen from the stools of 14 of 17 symptomatic children (10 younger than 1 year of age) while Aeromonas hydrophila, Aeromonas sobria, and Plesiomonas shigelloides were isolated once each. The infants from whom A. caviae was isolated all presented with a watery diarrhea lasting 1 to 3 weeks. None of these infants was breast-fed, and all had a stool pH of greater than 7.5. All of the A. caviae isolates, including a reference strain (ATCC 15468), adhered to HEp-2 cells, and preliminary data showed that they produced a cytotoxin as well. Because A. caviae can survive at an elevated pH, as found in the gastrointestinal tract of formula-fed infants, and because of the adherence and cytotoxin production capabilities of the species, it should be regarded as an enteric pathogen in pediatric patients and most probably among adults as well.