Bacteria from Aeromonas spp. genus are considered as opportunistic pathogens that can carry many virulence factors. The resistance phenomenon to antimicrobial drugs and heavy metals is another problem and may occurs by several factors, as the indiscriminate usage, environmental pollution and the presence of resistance determinants as efflux pumps, being many of them transmitted by genetic mobile elements as plasmid. The purpose of this article is to review about the virulence factors, antimicrobial and heavy metal resistance, as well as the mechanisms that can help its transfer among Aeromonas genus bacteria. Studies of the resistance mechanisms associated to molecular biology could produce information about control and prophylaxis methods to this disease of impact on aquatic organisms, man and environment.
Microorganisms; virulence factors; plasmid; efflux pump