Overview
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative, aerobic rod that is found almost anywhere in soil and water. It is an opportunistic pathogen associated with nosocomial infection, as it can be found in sinks and hospitalised people can become colonised with it at moist sites such as the ear, axilla, and perineum.
Associations
Overview
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is resistant to many antibiotics and implicated in many conditions including:
- Otitis externa – particularly people with diabetes mellitus who can develop necrotising (malignant) otitis externa
- Chest infections – particularly in people with cystic fibrosis and artificial ventilation
- Skin infections – particularly in people with burns, concomitant wound infections, or ‘hot tub folliculitis’ (folliculitis associated with jacuzzis)
- Urinary tract infections
- Bone and joint infections
- Chest infections – it may cause infective endocarditis
Community-acquired infections tend to be rare and mild, however, hospital-acquired infections tend to be more severe and varied.
