Species involved: A. caviae, A. hydrophila, A. veronii biovar sobria
Risk factors:
(1) exposure to environmental fresh or brackish water during the summer
(2) drinking untreated water in the tropics
(3) working at or attending a daycare center
(4) contaminated water supplies
Clinical manifestations:
(1) diarrhea, often as a traveler's diarrhea
(2) watery stool
(3) usually self-limited
(4) occasionally may cause a febrile illness with bloody diarrhea (colitis), which may be chronic
The diarrhea will respond to antibiotics therapy if the organism is susceptible, Fluoroquinolines are often used if antibiotic therapy is given.
In addition, diagnosis often involves excluding other enteric pathogens (virus, bacterial, parasitic).
