Gastrointestinal infection with Aeromonas: incidence and relationship to inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

Introduction: Aeromonas can cause several diseases in humans, with gastroenteritis accounting for most cases. The role of Aeromonas as a pathogen in human enterocolitis has been questioned in recent years.

Objective: To determine the incidence of gastrointestinal infection caused by Aeromonas in our area and its possible relationship to inflammatory bowel disease.

Patients and methods: This was a retrospective observational study. All adult patients with a positive stool culture for Aeromonas were identified between January 2015 and December 2017 at Hospital Galdakao-Usansolo (Vizcaya, Spain).

Results: Ninety-eight patients were identified (median age 62 years; 51% women). Therefore, the incidence in our area was 32 cases per 10⁵ inhabitants per year. Eleven per cent of them had been previously diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (four with ulcerative colitis and seven with Crohn's disease). Patients with inflammatory bowel disease more often received immunosuppressive therapy. Conversely, patients without inflammatory bowel disease suffered from more comorbidities. We also found comorbidity to be the risk factor most associated with Aeromonas infection.

Conclusion: Aeromonas infection is a common gastrointestinal infection that may occur in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. Immunosuppression is a significant factor in inflammatory bowel disease patients, while comorbidity seems to confer a higher risk on patients without this disease.

Keywords: Aeromonas; Enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal; Gastrointestinal infection; Infección gastrointestinal; Inflammatory bowel disease.