Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The Gram-negative superbug Pseudomonas aeruginosa does not usually cause infections in healthy people. However, this bacterium can seriously affect immunocompromised individuals. Thus, this opportunistic pathogen is problematic in hospital settings, since it is responsible for nosocomial infections, that is, infections that the patient contracts in a hospital. The difficulty in treating this bacterium is its versatility: P. aeruginosa can resist several antibiotics and environmental factors. Thus, the pathogen can survive for long periods of time in hospital environments after contaminating surfaces, such as monitors and respiratory devices. (ELFADADNY et al., 2024)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection occurs through contact, consumption of contaminated water, and inhalation. Infections caused by this pathogen in individuals with compromised immune systems can seriously affect various parts of the body. For example, in addition to eye infections , these infections can contaminate any organ system and cause sepsis . P. aeruginosa is associated with the highest case fatality rates from bloodstream infections compared to other bacteria, regardless of whether they are Gram-positive or Gram-negative. (EXNER et al., 2017)

Furthermore, contamination by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is important worldwide because of its scope . This pathogen is the second most frequent among Gram-negative bacteria in patients hospitalized with bacterial pneumonia. (CAFFREY et al., 2022)

CAFFREY, AR et al. Treatment heterogeneity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) , v. 11, n. 8, p. 1033, 2022. Available at: < https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/11/8/1033 >. Accessed on: August 4, 2024.

ELFADADNY, A. et al. Antimicrobial resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa : navigating clinical impacts, current resistance trends, and innovations in breaking therapies. Frontiers in microbiology , vol. 15, 2024. Available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1374466/full . Accessed on: 4 Aug. 2024.

EXNER, M. et al. Antibiotic resistance: What is so special about multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria? GMS hygiene and infection control , v. 12, no. 1, p. Doc05, 2017. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5388835/ . Accessed on: 4 Aug. 2024.