Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the blue bacillus, the primary pathogen of human infectious disorders. The microorganism can be isolated from the intestines of 5% of healthy people and up to 30% of patients. Besides, bacilli can be everywhere.

Infection

It can survive in water for about a year (at 37 °C). Sometimes, it is also part of healthy human microflora. Moreover, it can be on the grain skin, armpit skin, and ear skin in healthy individuals (up to 2% of people), on the nasal mucous membrane (about 3%), in the pharynx (about 7%), and in the digestive tract (3-24%).

Effects

Pseudomonas aeruginosa contamination gives rise to 15-2-% nosocomial infections. Besides, it’s responsible for one-third of all urogenital disorders in urogenital patients. Moreover, it causes 20-25% of purulent surgical infections and primary gram-negative bacteriemia. Patients with burns or bladder disorders, especially those taking antibiotics long enough, are at risk. It is a distinct chemoorganotroph and a strict aerobe.

Clinical manifestations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Like other aerobes, it also synthesises cytochrome oxidase (indophenol oxidase). Pigment formation is a specific sign of great diagnostic importance (with 70-80% clinical isolators)—the phenazine pigment pyocyanine colours the blue-green nutrient medium, wound discharge, and bandaging material—toxin formation. The pathogenic effect has exotoxin properties. Further, releasing endotoxins leads to the destruction and disintegration of the bacterial cells.

Clinical manifestations for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. High invasiveness is not typical. However, the ubiquitous prevalence of the bacillus makes it the primary pathogen of wound infections and complications. These infections, especially those in hospitals, run a grave course, and septicemia is fatal for 35 to 75% of patients.