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A possible effect of heavy metals on the presence of Aeromonas spp. in polluted waters was observed when chemical analyses were performed on 14 water samples. Aeromonas spp. were isolated in 13 (93%) of the 14 samples where the concentration of copper and zinc was lower than 80 micron g/L. No Aeromonas spp. were isolated in samples where copper and zinc concentrations were 130 micron g/L. We were able to isolate Aeromonas spp. from the same site 1 week earlier when the concentration of copper and zinc was 50 micron g/L and 40 micron g/L, respectively. These results suggest that Aeromonas spp. may enter a viable, but nonculturable state as a response to toxic effects of copper and zinc in polluted waters.