A. salmonicida is a fish pathogen and has not been associated with human
infection. By contrast, the mesophilic species have been associated with a wide
range of infections in humans (Janda & Abbott, 1996). Although members of
the genus have classically been divided into three biochemically differentiated
groups (typified by A. hydrophila, A. caviae, and A. sobria), these contain a
number of genospecies, to which new species have been added (Carnahan &
Altwegg, 1996). Currently the genus is made up of 17 DNA hybridization groups
representing a range of genospecies and phenospecies