Pseudomonas infections



Pseudomonas infections




LIFE-THREATENING DISORDER



Pseudomonas is a small gram-negative bacillus that produces nosocomial infections, superinfections of various
parts of the body, and a rare disease called melioidosis. This bacillus is also associated with bacteremia, endocarditis, and osteomyelitis in drug addicts.

Treatment of local Pseudomonas infection is usually successful and complications are rare. However, in patients with poor immunologic resistance—premature infants, elderly patients, or those with debilitating disease, burns, or wounds—septicemic Pseudomonas infections are serious and sometimes fatal.


Causes

The most common species of Pseudomonas is P. aeruginosa. Other species that typically cause disease in humans include P. acidovorans, P. alcaligenes, P cepacia, P. fluorescens, P. maltophilia, P. putida, P. putrefaciens, P. stutzeri, and P. testosteroni.

These organisms are commonly found in hospital liquids that have been allowed to stand for a long time, such as benzalkonium chloride, hexachlorophene soap, saline solution, penicillin, water in flower vases, and fluids in incubators, humidifiers, and respiratory therapy equipment.

In elderly patients, Pseudomonas infection usually enters through the genitourinary tract; in infants through the umbilical cord, skin, and GI tract.

Jun 16, 2016 | Posted by in GENERAL & FAMILY MEDICINE | Comments Off on Pseudomonas infections

Full access? Get Clinical Tree

Get Clinical Tree app for offline access