Emerging Aeromonas spp. infections in Europe: characterization of human clinical isolates from German patients
Bacteria of the genus Aeromonas are widely distributed in water bodies around the world. Some Aeromonas species have been identified as human pathogens causing intestinal and a variety of extraintestinal infections. In Germany, information on diseases caused by Aeromonas is rare, because Aeromonas i...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1498180/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850113587332251648 |
|---|---|
| author | Keike Schwartz Maria Borowiak Eckhard Strauch Carlus Deneke Martin H. Richter The German Aeromonas Study Group |
| author_facet | Keike Schwartz Maria Borowiak Eckhard Strauch Carlus Deneke Martin H. Richter The German Aeromonas Study Group |
| author_sort | Keike Schwartz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bacteria of the genus Aeromonas are widely distributed in water bodies around the world. Some Aeromonas species have been identified as human pathogens causing intestinal and a variety of extraintestinal infections. In Germany, information on diseases caused by Aeromonas is rare, because Aeromonas infections are not notifiable in Germany. To address this information gap and gain better insights, a successful collaboration with human medical diagnostic laboratories within Germany was established and several Aeromonas isolates from diseased patients were sent to the Aeromonas laboratory of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. 52 clinical Aeromonas isolates, of which anonymized patients’ data were available, were selected for further characterization by MALDI-TOF MS, biochemical testing, and whole genome sequencing (WGS). Nearly half of the isolates were from patients older than 60 years, whereas only four isolates were from patients aged up to 10 years. 30 isolates originated from stools of patients with diarrhea/(gastro-)enteritis and 22 strains were from patients with diverse extraintestinal infections, such as wound infection, septicemia, bursitis, abscesses, cholangitis, urinary tract infections, and pneumonia. Taxonomical identification revealed following predominant species: A. veronii biovar sobria (18 isolates), A. caviae (17 isolates), and A. hydrophila (nine isolates). Two A. salmonicida isolates and one isolate each of A. dhakensis, A. bestiarum, and A. encheleia were also identified. Three closely related intestinal isolates could not be assigned to a recognized Aeromonas species. The clustering of strains based on virulence factor profile resulted in a grouping that closely resembles the clustering of the phylogenetic tree suggesting that the profiles are specific for each species. Our study on clinical Aeromonas isolates characterizes for the first time human pathogenic strains isolated in Germany. These bacteria are important microorganisms within the One Health context because of their ubiquitous presence in the environment and as a cause of opportunistic infections in humans and animals. Infections caused by Aeromonas bacteria show a seasonality with increased infection rates in warmer periods. In view of climate change, Aeromonas bacteria are regarded as emerging pathogens and research is required to determine the reservoirs in One Health sources from which human infections may arise. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c35e0ed26bc24648b1aeccdfabb6d5be |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-c35e0ed26bc24648b1aeccdfabb6d5be2025-08-20T02:37:06ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2024-12-011510.3389/fmicb.2024.14981801498180Emerging Aeromonas spp. infections in Europe: characterization of human clinical isolates from German patientsKeike SchwartzMaria BorowiakEckhard StrauchCarlus DenekeMartin H. RichterThe German Aeromonas Study GroupBacteria of the genus Aeromonas are widely distributed in water bodies around the world. Some Aeromonas species have been identified as human pathogens causing intestinal and a variety of extraintestinal infections. In Germany, information on diseases caused by Aeromonas is rare, because Aeromonas infections are not notifiable in Germany. To address this information gap and gain better insights, a successful collaboration with human medical diagnostic laboratories within Germany was established and several Aeromonas isolates from diseased patients were sent to the Aeromonas laboratory of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. 52 clinical Aeromonas isolates, of which anonymized patients’ data were available, were selected for further characterization by MALDI-TOF MS, biochemical testing, and whole genome sequencing (WGS). Nearly half of the isolates were from patients older than 60 years, whereas only four isolates were from patients aged up to 10 years. 30 isolates originated from stools of patients with diarrhea/(gastro-)enteritis and 22 strains were from patients with diverse extraintestinal infections, such as wound infection, septicemia, bursitis, abscesses, cholangitis, urinary tract infections, and pneumonia. Taxonomical identification revealed following predominant species: A. veronii biovar sobria (18 isolates), A. caviae (17 isolates), and A. hydrophila (nine isolates). Two A. salmonicida isolates and one isolate each of A. dhakensis, A. bestiarum, and A. encheleia were also identified. Three closely related intestinal isolates could not be assigned to a recognized Aeromonas species. The clustering of strains based on virulence factor profile resulted in a grouping that closely resembles the clustering of the phylogenetic tree suggesting that the profiles are specific for each species. Our study on clinical Aeromonas isolates characterizes for the first time human pathogenic strains isolated in Germany. These bacteria are important microorganisms within the One Health context because of their ubiquitous presence in the environment and as a cause of opportunistic infections in humans and animals. Infections caused by Aeromonas bacteria show a seasonality with increased infection rates in warmer periods. In view of climate change, Aeromonas bacteria are regarded as emerging pathogens and research is required to determine the reservoirs in One Health sources from which human infections may arise.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1498180/fullGermanyAeromonaswhole genome sequencingvirulence gene profileOne Healthclimate change |
| spellingShingle | Keike Schwartz Maria Borowiak Eckhard Strauch Carlus Deneke Martin H. Richter The German Aeromonas Study Group Emerging Aeromonas spp. infections in Europe: characterization of human clinical isolates from German patients Frontiers in Microbiology Germany Aeromonas whole genome sequencing virulence gene profile One Health climate change |
| title | Emerging Aeromonas spp. infections in Europe: characterization of human clinical isolates from German patients |
| title_full | Emerging Aeromonas spp. infections in Europe: characterization of human clinical isolates from German patients |
| title_fullStr | Emerging Aeromonas spp. infections in Europe: characterization of human clinical isolates from German patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Emerging Aeromonas spp. infections in Europe: characterization of human clinical isolates from German patients |
| title_short | Emerging Aeromonas spp. infections in Europe: characterization of human clinical isolates from German patients |
| title_sort | emerging aeromonas spp infections in europe characterization of human clinical isolates from german patients |
| topic | Germany Aeromonas whole genome sequencing virulence gene profile One Health climate change |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1498180/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT keikeschwartz emergingaeromonassppinfectionsineuropecharacterizationofhumanclinicalisolatesfromgermanpatients AT mariaborowiak emergingaeromonassppinfectionsineuropecharacterizationofhumanclinicalisolatesfromgermanpatients AT eckhardstrauch emergingaeromonassppinfectionsineuropecharacterizationofhumanclinicalisolatesfromgermanpatients AT carlusdeneke emergingaeromonassppinfectionsineuropecharacterizationofhumanclinicalisolatesfromgermanpatients AT martinhrichter emergingaeromonassppinfectionsineuropecharacterizationofhumanclinicalisolatesfromgermanpatients AT thegermanaeromonasstudygroup emergingaeromonassppinfectionsineuropecharacterizationofhumanclinicalisolatesfromgermanpatients |