Pseudomonas aeruginosa

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Pseudomonas aeruginosa (pronunciation: soo-doh-moh-nas air-uh-gi-noh-suh) is a common bacterium that can cause disease in animals, including humans. It is found in soil, water, skin flora, and most man-made environments throughout the world.

Etymology

The name Pseudomonas aeruginosa comes from the Greek word "pseudēs" meaning "false", and "monas" meaning "unit". The species name "aeruginosa" is a Latin word meaning "verdigris" (copper rust), referring to the blue-green pigmentation that this bacterium produces.

Characteristics

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, aerobic bacterium with unipolar motility. An opportunistic human pathogen, P. aeruginosa is recognized for its ubiquity, its intrinsically advanced antibiotic resistance mechanisms, and its association with serious illnesses – particularly hospital-acquired infections such as ventilator-associated pneumonia and various sepsis syndromes.

Pathogenesis

The symptoms of a P. aeruginosa infection can vary widely, depending on the severity and location of the infection. This bacterium is an opportunistic pathogen, meaning that it exploits some break in the host defenses to initiate an infection. In fact, P. aeruginosa is the third leading cause of hospital-acquired infections.

Treatment

Treatment of P. aeruginosa infections can be difficult due to its natural resistance to many antibiotics and can require the use of multi-drug resistant therapy.

Related Terms

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