Genomic analysis of clinical Aeromonas samples reveals genetic diversity but no genetic determinant for diarrhoeal disease pathogenicity

Aeromonas spp. are associated with a number of infection syndromes in humans including gastroenteritis. Understanding of the genetic diversity, population structure, virulence determinants, and antimicrobial resistance of the genus has been limited by a lack of sequenced genomes. We performed a comprehensive analysis of the whole genome sequences of 447 Aeromonas isolates from children in Karachi, Pakistan, with or without moderate to severe diarrhoea that were collected as part of the Global Enteric Multi-center Study (GEMS). Human-associated Aeromonas isolates exhibited high species diversity and significant antimicrobial and virulence gene content. However, specific genetic determinants were not associated with isolates orginating from cases of gastroenteritis.