Cytotoxicity and Antimicrobial Resistance ofAeromonasStrainsIsolated from Fresh Produce and Irrigation Water

Abstract

[EN] The genusAeromonashas received constant attention in different areas, from aquacultureand veterinary medicine to food safety, where more and more frequent isolates are occurring withincreased resistance to antibiotics. The present paper studied the interaction ofAeromonasstrainsisolated from fresh produce and water with different eukaryotic cell types with the aim of betterunderstanding the cytotoxic capacity of these strains. To study host-cell pathogen interactionsinAeromonas, we used HT-29, Vero, J774A.1, and primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Theseinteractions were analyzed by confocal microscopy to determine the cytotoxicity of the strains.We also usedGalleria mellonellalarvae to test their pathogenicity in this experimental model. Ourresults demonstrated that two strains showed high cytotoxicity in epithelial cells, fibroblasts, andmacrophages. Furthermore, these strains showed high virulence using theG. mellonellamodel. Allstrains used in this paper generally showed low levels of resistance to the different families of theantibiotics being tested. These results indicated that some strains ofAeromonaspresent in vegetablesand water pose a potential health hazard, displaying very highin vitroandin vivovirulence. Thispathogenic potential, and some recent concerning findings on antimicrobial resistance inAeromonas,encourage further efforts in examining the precise significance of Aeromonas strains isolated fromfoods for human consumption