Pseudomonas aeruginosa

• Pseudomonas is a genus of gram-negative bacteria found normally in the environment.
• There are many strains of pseudomonas.
• Of the many different types of Pseudomonas, the one that most often causes infections in humans is called Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can cause infections in the blood, lungs called pneumonia, or other parts of the body after surgery.
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most common strain that causes infections in humans.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa on blood agar

Incidence

In 2017, multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa caused an estimated 32,600 infections among hospitalized patients and 2,700 estimated deaths in the United States.

Risk factors

Those most at risk include patients in hospitals, especially those:

• on breathing machines (ventilators)
• with devices such as catheters
• with wounds from surgery or burns

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

Transmission

• Pseudomonas aeruginosa lives in the environment and can be spread to people in healthcare settings when they are exposed to water or soil that is contaminated with these germs.
• Resistant strains of the germ can also spread in healthcare settings from one person to another through contaminated hands, equipment, or surfaces.

Lung cells infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Prevention

Patients and caregivers should:

• keep their hands clean to avoid getting sick and spreading germs that can cause infections
• wash their hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer, particularly before and after caring for wounds or touching a medical device
• remind healthcare providers and caregivers to clean their hands before touching the patient or handling medical devices
• allow healthcare staff to clean their room daily when in a healthcare setting
• Healthcare providers should pay careful attention to recommended infection control practices, including hand hygiene and environmental cleaning (e.g., cleaning of patient rooms and shared equipment) to reduce the risk of spreading these germs to patients.
• Healthcare facilities should have water management plans that help ensure water quality and reduce the risk of exposure to potentially harmful germs like Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa pigment production

Treatment

• Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are generally treated with antibiotics.
• Unfortunately, in people exposed to healthcare settings like hospitals or nursing homes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are becoming more difficult to treat because of increasing antibiotic resistance.
• To identify the best antibiotic to treat a specific infection, healthcare providers will send a specimen (often called a culture) to the laboratory and test any bacteria that grow against a set of antibiotics to determine which are active against the germ.
• The provider will then select an antibiotic based on the activity of the antibiotic and other factors, like potential side effects or interactions with other drugs.
• For some multidrug-resistant types of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, treatment options might be limited.

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

Drug resistance

• Around 13% of P. aeruginosa infections are multidrug-resistant (MDR-PA).
• Mild infections, such as ear infections and rashes, can occur among healthy people, but serious infections typically occur in seriously ill patients.
• People who are at greatest risk for P. aeruginosa infection include those using medical devices such as breathing machines and catheters.
• Patients with surgical or burn wounds are also at a greater risk for P. aeruginosa infection.
• P. aeruginosa can be transmitted though the hands of healthcare workers and contaminated equipment.
• These bacteria are constantly finding new ways to avoid the effects of the antibiotics used to treat the infections they cause.
• Antibiotic resistance occurs when the germs no longer respond to the antibiotics designed to kill them.
• If they develop resistance to several types of antibiotics, these germs can become multidrug-resistant.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Resources
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