Detection of Hemolytic Strains of Aeromonads by Multiplex PCR

This study presents a method for the co-amplification of α- and β-hemolysin genes in bacteria of the genus Aeromonas. The developed multiplex PCR protocol demonstrated high specificity and sensitivity. PCR screening showed a wide distribution of hemolysin genes among Aeromonas isolates from aquaculture and environmental sites. A correlation was found between the hemolytic activity of strains and the presence of certain genes (hlyA and aerA). The proposed method may become a useful tool for epidemiological monitoring of the spread of pathogenic aeromonad species, which is important for ensuring biological safety of fish production.