Year: 2026 | Month: April | Volume 16 | Issue 2
Molecular Detection of Virulence Genes in Aeromonas hydrophila Isolated from Market Milk
Suneel Singh Gurjar
Abhishek Gaurav*
Deepak Kumar Sharma
Sudeep Solanki and Vemula Nita Ida
DOI:10.30954/2277-940X.02.2026.2
Abstract:
Virulence gene profiling of Aeromonas species can be conducted using PCR to target various virulence factors, including endotoxins, enterotoxins, adhesins, cytotoxins, hemolysins, lipases, and proteases. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was employed for the detection of Aeromonas hydrophila (A. hydrophila) in raw market milk samples. A total of 350 milk samples were collected from different markets in Udaipur during the period from June 2025 to September 2025. PCR amplification using species-specific primers targeting the gyrB gene produced specific amplicons of 1100 bp, confirming the presence of A. hydrophila. The primers used in the study successfully amplified the corresponding target sequences of gyrB gene. Furthermore, several virulence-associated genes were amplified to assess the pathogenic potential of the isolates. The virulence genes targeted included aer, ast, alt and act. PCR amplification of these virulence genes yielded specific bands of 252 bp, 212 bp, 442 bp, and 232 bp, respectively. Out of the 12 A. hydrophila isolates, 11, 6, 9 and 8 isolates were found to be positive for aer (91.66%), ast (50%), alt (75%), and act (66.66%) genes, respectively. As raw milk can act as a vehicle for transmission of pathogenic strains to humans, its contamination represents a significant public health risk. The presence of virulence genes among the recovered isolates of A. hydrophila in this study highlights the pathogenic potential of milk-borne microorganisms, emphasizing the need for continuous surveillance through molecular approaches to strengthen food safety management and prevent future outbreaks.
Highlights
- The confirmation of Aeromonas hydrophila in raw market milk samples collected from Udaipur.
- Virulence gene profiling revealed a high prevalence of pathogenic determinants among isolates.
- The occurrence of virulent A. hydrophila in raw milk highlights the importance of continuous molecular surveillance for effective food safety management.
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