Pseudomonas aeruginosa
MICROBIOLOGY
- Gram-negative non-fermenting, motile bacillus [Fig 1]; known for blue-green pus due to pyocyanin and pyoverdin pigments.
- Non-fastidious organism; inhabits a variety of environments including soil and water, i.e., hot tubs, sinks, water faucets, respirators, disinfectants, and contact lens cleaning solution.
- Grows on a wide variety of media. Clinical isolates usually render smooth colonies on plates [Fig 2].
- Produces biofilm, toxins, and proteases.
- Drug resistance mechanisms include multiple pathways: chromosomal and inducible beta-lactamases, active efflux pumps, acquired genes and plasmid-mediated ESBLs (TEM, SHV, CTX-M), and altered permeability.[8][13]
- Carbapenem-resistance mechanisms include:
- Loss of outer membrane porin D (OprD) results in resistance to carbapenems.
- The combined loss of OprD in combination with another mechanism, i.e., overexpression of AmpC beta-lactamase OR overexpression of efflux pumps, is a major determinant of resistance to carbapenems.[12]
- Production of carbapenemases, esp. Ambler class B metallo-beta-lactamases (NDM, VIM, IMP).[4]
- Clinical utility of rapid molecular diagnostic platforms to detect genotype resistance to beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations is limited by the complexity of non-tested determinants of beta-lactam resistance, such as OprD changes and drug efflux systems.[3]
- Carbapenem-resistance mechanisms include:
There's more to see -- the rest of this topic is available only to subscribers.
Last updated: May 5, 2021
Citation
Spacek, Lisa A. "Pseudomonas Aeruginosa." Johns Hopkins ABX Guide, The Johns Hopkins University, 2021. Johns Hopkins Guides, www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540457/all/Pseudomonas_aeruginosa.
Spacek LA. Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2021. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540457/all/Pseudomonas_aeruginosa. Accessed May 30, 2023.
Spacek, L. A. (2021). Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540457/all/Pseudomonas_aeruginosa
Spacek LA. Pseudomonas Aeruginosa [Internet]. In: Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2021. [cited 2023 May 30]. Available from: https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540457/all/Pseudomonas_aeruginosa.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Pseudomonas aeruginosa
ID - 540457
A1 - Spacek,Lisa,M.D., Ph.D.
Y1 - 2021/05/05/
BT - Johns Hopkins ABX Guide
UR - https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540457/all/Pseudomonas_aeruginosa
PB - The Johns Hopkins University
DB - Johns Hopkins Guides
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -