Haemolytic activity of Aeromonas species isolated in Libya.

Twenty seven Aeromonas strains (5A. hydrophila, 8A. sobria and 14A. caviae) isolated from children with diarrhoea and 34 Aeromonas strains (9A. hydrophila, 7A. sobria an 18A. caviae) isolated from children without diarrhoea were tested from haemolysin production. The results obtained showed that haemolysin production using human, horse or sheep erythrocytes was significantly associated with A.hydrophila and A sobria but not with A.caviae, regardless of whether these strains were isolated from children with or without diarrhoea. Human or horse rather than sheep erythrocytes are recommended for use in the haemolysin assay.