In vitro and in vivo pathogenicity of Plesiomonas shigelloides

Abstract

Epidemiologic evidence suggests that Plesiomonas shigelloides is an enteric pathogen. We conducted in vitro, animal, and volunteer studies on P. shigelloides isolated from patients with diarrhea. Five strains gave a negative keratoconjunctivitis reaction in guinea pigs and did not invade HeLa cells. Genetic probes for heat-stable enterotoxins related to those of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and for gene sequences common to the invasiveness plasmids of Shigella spp. and enteroinvasive E. coli were negative. Heat-labile enterotoxins were not found when a modified GM1-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used. Rabbits did not develop diarrhea but were transiently colonized when inoculated ..