Aeromonas Schubertii, a New Mannitol-negative Species Found in Human Clinical Specimens

In 1983 the vernacular name Enteric Group 501 was coined for a group of strains that had been referred to our laboratory as "possible Vibrio damsela that does not require NaCl for growth." By DNA-DNA hybridization (hydroxyapatite method, 32P, 60 and 75 degrees C), six strains of Enteric Group 501 were closely related to the labeled strain 2446-81 (70 to 95% at 60 degrees C and 71 to 93% at 75 degrees C; 0 to 1% divergence). Type strains of all Aeromonas species and reference strains of six other Aeromonas DNA hybridization groups were 26 to 42% related (60 degrees C) to strain 2446-81, but type strains of 27 Vibrio and Photobacterium species, including V. damsela, were 0 to 1% (75 degrees C) related. We propose the name Aeromonas schubertii for the highly related group of seven strains formerly known as Enteric Group 501. The type strain is designated as ATCC 43700 (CDC 2446-81). Strains of A. schubertii grew well at 36 degrees C and had positive reactions at this temperature for methyl red, Voges-Proskauer (1% NaCl, Coblentz method), lysine decarboxylase, arginine dihydrolase, motility, lipase, DNase, nitrate reduction to nitrite, oxidase, and growth in nutrient broth with 0 and 1% NaCl. There was no growth in 6% NaCl or on thiosulfate-citrate-bile salts-sucrose agar. The following sugars were fermented: D-glucose, D-galactose, maltose, D-mannose, and trehalose. The following sugars were not fermented: adonitol, L-arabinose, D-arabitol, cellobiose, dulcitol, erythritol, myo-inositol, lactose, D-mannitol, melibiose, alpha-CH3-D-glucoside, raffinose, L-rhamnose, salicin, D-sorbitol, sucrose, and D-xylose. Esculin was not hydrolyzed, and the string test was negative. The mannitol-negative reaction differtiates A. schubertii from other Aeromonas species. The antibiogram of this organism is typical of other Aeromonas strains (resistance to ampicillin and carbenicillin and susceptibility to most other agents). A. schubertii strains have been isolated from abscesses (two strains), wound (one), skin (one), pleural fluid (one), and blood (two). The two blood isolates suggest clinical significance typical of other Aeromonas species , but further information is needed on this group.