Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsStrainsInfection RiskSymptomsTransmissionAntibioticsAntibiotic-ResistanceLimiting Exposure
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Strains
Infection Risk
Symptoms
Transmission
Antibiotics
Antibiotic-Resistance
Limiting Exposure
Pseudomonasis a genus of gram-negative bacteria. It belongs to the familyPseudomonadaceaeand is in the classGammaproteobacteria. Not all strains of this type of bacteria cause infection, but roughly 25 species, includingPseudomonas aeruginosa(P. aeruginosa),Pseudomonas fluorescens(P. fluorescens), andPseudomonas putida, (P. putida), are known to cause opportunistic infections.
Typically, the bacteria can live within a healthy body, and healthy people often carry the bacteria without realizing it because it doesn’t cause any harm. Mild infections can sometimes occur, leading to issues such as aswimmer’s earor a hot tub rash.
For those with weakened immune systems or those who are already ill, an infection fromPseudomonascan be severe or even deadly.
This article discusses the strains ofPseudomonas, their effects, who is most at risk, and the antibiotics that treat these infections.
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Strains of Bacterial Pseudomonas
There are over 140 species ofPseudomonas. Most of them are considered saprophytic, meaning they cannot make their own food and typically feed on dead or decaying organic matter. For the most part, they are no threat to humans or human health.
However, roughly 25 species can cause infections in humans. Most species that lead to human disease drive opportunistic infections, which are infections that develop in people withweakened immune systemsdue to health conditions or medications they take that tamp down the immune system. The strains associated with opportunistic infections include:
There are two species of the bacteria (P. malleiandP. pseudomallei) that cause the diseases known as glanders and melioidosis. The strains that are most likely to cause infection (P. aeruginosaandP. maltophilia) make up 80% of the clinical specimens of the bacteria recovered from samples from those who developed infections. The strainP. aeruginosareceives the most focus in clinical research and documentation.
What to Know About Pseudomonas AeruginosaP. auruginosais considered gram-negative. Gram-negative species of bacteria are typically drug resistant, meaning they have developed the ability to fight off the drugs designed to kill them. They continue to resist today’s most-used antibiotics.All other strains ofPseudomonasare also considered gram-negative, but becauseP. aeruginosaare the most prevalent in human infection, they receive the most attention in the clinical world.
What to Know About Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
P. auruginosais considered gram-negative. Gram-negative species of bacteria are typically drug resistant, meaning they have developed the ability to fight off the drugs designed to kill them. They continue to resist today’s most-used antibiotics.All other strains ofPseudomonasare also considered gram-negative, but becauseP. aeruginosaare the most prevalent in human infection, they receive the most attention in the clinical world.
P. auruginosais considered gram-negative. Gram-negative species of bacteria are typically drug resistant, meaning they have developed the ability to fight off the drugs designed to kill them. They continue to resist today’s most-used antibiotics.
All other strains ofPseudomonasare also considered gram-negative, but becauseP. aeruginosaare the most prevalent in human infection, they receive the most attention in the clinical world.
Risk of Pseudomonas Infection
This species family of bacteria isn’t typically associated with human infections, except for a small number of strains. Those strains that cause infection are more likely to do so in people who are chronically ill or those with weakened immune systems.
In Non-Immunocompromised Individuals
In some cases, healthy individuals could develop mild infections, such asswimmer’s ear(otitis externa) or ahot tub rash(pseudomonas folliculitis), if they come into contact with the bacteria. These infections are treatable and don’t tend to cause a lot of ill effects.
Higher Risk of Pseudomonas During a Hospital Stay
Even people who are not immunocompromised are at risk ofPseudomonasinfections during hospital stays. In a facility, the bacteria can spread through contact with unsanitary medical equipment, hands, or surfaces.
In Immunocompromised Individuals
Since aPseudomonasinfection is considered opportunistic, meaning it thrives in people who are immunocompromised, these individuals are the most at risk of having severe complications from the bacteria.
For example, research shows that people withcystic fibrosis (CF)have a higher risk of life-threatening outcomes if they come into contact with the strainP. aeruginosa. This type of infection is a leading cause of morbidity (the state of being ill) and mortality (number of deaths) in people with cystic fibrosis.
People with cystic fibrosis are also likely to experience chronic infections after coming into contact with the bacteria, which further leads to more severe and life-threatening outcomes. This is because, in cystic fibrosis, the health of the lungs is compromised.
How Common Are Pseudomonas Infections?
Symptoms of Pseudomonas and Effects on Organs
WhilePseudomonascan affect the entire body, some organs and body systems are more likely to experience the infection and its symptoms. They include:
Lungs
Other Symptoms Associated With Bacterial PneumoniaOther symptoms that may occur with infections fromPseudomonasbacteria include:A high fever, sometimes dangerously high at 105 degrees FRapid pulseBluish tinge in the lips or nail bedsDelirium
Other Symptoms Associated With Bacterial Pneumonia
Other symptoms that may occur with infections fromPseudomonasbacteria include:A high fever, sometimes dangerously high at 105 degrees FRapid pulseBluish tinge in the lips or nail bedsDelirium
Other symptoms that may occur with infections fromPseudomonasbacteria include:
Skin Injuries
Skin injuries, specificallyburns, are known to be associated withPseudomonasinfections in hospitalized people. When a person develops an infection in the skin after a burn wound, the effects could be grave.
Symptoms of a wound infection include:
Ear Canal
Swimmer’s Ear ComplicationsWhile swimmer’s ear is treatable and often responds well to standard therapies, there are some possible complications to be aware of if you develop it. They include:Damage to the skull, brain, or cranial nervesRecurrent infectionsSpread of infection to the brain or other areas
Swimmer’s Ear Complications
While swimmer’s ear is treatable and often responds well to standard therapies, there are some possible complications to be aware of if you develop it. They include:Damage to the skull, brain, or cranial nervesRecurrent infectionsSpread of infection to the brain or other areas
While swimmer’s ear is treatable and often responds well to standard therapies, there are some possible complications to be aware of if you develop it. They include:
Urinary Tract
Urinary tract infections (UTIs)that develop while in the hospital due toPseudomonasaccount for roughly 10% of all catheter-associated UTIs. The bacteria can be found in catheters used in hospital settings and can enter the urinary tract this way.
When Is a Urinary Catheter Typically Used?A urinary catheter is a device that’s inserted into the bladder through the urethra to excrete urine. They are typically used in hospitals:To help empty the bladder when urination is difficult or not possibleTo use as a tool to measure the amount of urine a person producesDuring and after surgeryDuring tests of the kidneys or bladder
When Is a Urinary Catheter Typically Used?
A urinary catheter is a device that’s inserted into the bladder through the urethra to excrete urine. They are typically used in hospitals:To help empty the bladder when urination is difficult or not possibleTo use as a tool to measure the amount of urine a person producesDuring and after surgeryDuring tests of the kidneys or bladder
A urinary catheter is a device that’s inserted into the bladder through the urethra to excrete urine. They are typically used in hospitals:
Transmission: Where Do Pseudomonas Come From?
Pseudomonasare typically found in soil, water, and other environmental substances. When someone is exposed to the bacteria in the soil or water, they can develop an infection or carry the bacteria with them and be able to transmit it to someone else.
In healthcare settings, the spread ofPseudomonascan occur through contaminated hands, equipment, or surfaces.
Common Recreational Water Illnesses and How to Prevent Them
When to See a Healthcare Provider
SincePseudomonasinfections can turn severe reasonably quickly, especially in people with burn wounds, who spend time in a hospital or those who are immunocompromised, it’s vital to note the signs of infection and when to call a healthcare provider.
You should contact your healthcare provider when:
Signs of Systemic InfectionIf the bacteria get into your bloodstream and travel throughout your body (a systemic infection), they can lead tosepsis. Sepsis is a severe reaction to an infection and can cause multiple organ failure or be fatal. You should get emergency medical care if you experience any of the signs of sepsis, including:Fever or chillsLoss of interest in food and your surroundingsDifficulty breathingFeeling nauseated, or vomitingSensitivity to lightHeightened levels of pain or discomfortCold hands and feetFeeling anxious, confused, agitated, orlethargicA rash that looks like bruises
Signs of Systemic Infection
If the bacteria get into your bloodstream and travel throughout your body (a systemic infection), they can lead tosepsis. Sepsis is a severe reaction to an infection and can cause multiple organ failure or be fatal. You should get emergency medical care if you experience any of the signs of sepsis, including:Fever or chillsLoss of interest in food and your surroundingsDifficulty breathingFeeling nauseated, or vomitingSensitivity to lightHeightened levels of pain or discomfortCold hands and feetFeeling anxious, confused, agitated, orlethargicA rash that looks like bruises
If the bacteria get into your bloodstream and travel throughout your body (a systemic infection), they can lead tosepsis. Sepsis is a severe reaction to an infection and can cause multiple organ failure or be fatal. You should get emergency medical care if you experience any of the signs of sepsis, including:
Antibiotics for Pseudomonas
Pseudomonasinfections are not always easy to treat. For that reason, several different first-line therapies can be used to clear up the infection. Some options include:
Second-Line TherapiesIf the antibiotics mentioned above don’t work because of antibiotic resistance, second-line therapies will need to be investigated. They can include:Amikin (amikacin)Doribax (doripenem)Gentak (gentamicin)Merrem (mMeropenem)PrimaxinPremaxin (iImipenem)Tobrex (tobramycin)Zemdri (plazomicin)
Second-Line Therapies
If the antibiotics mentioned above don’t work because of antibiotic resistance, second-line therapies will need to be investigated. They can include:Amikin (amikacin)Doribax (doripenem)Gentak (gentamicin)Merrem (mMeropenem)PrimaxinPremaxin (iImipenem)Tobrex (tobramycin)Zemdri (plazomicin)
If the antibiotics mentioned above don’t work because of antibiotic resistance, second-line therapies will need to be investigated. They can include:
What Are the Best Antibiotics to Treat Pneumonia?
Pseudomonas Antibiotic-Resistant Treatment
According to research, as many as 10% ofPseudomonasinfections are antibiotic resistant. Because they can evade medication and thrive, they are challenging to treat. To address this issue, antipseudomonal drugs are used. Some options include:
Bacteriophage therapy, which uses bacteria-specific viruses to kill harmful pathogens, can also combat drug-resistantPseudomonasinfections. That said, this is a relatively new approach toPseudomonasinfections and, thus, isn’t widely used in clinical practice. Early trials with this type of therapy show promise.
Limiting Exposure to Pseudomonas
Summary
For the most part, aPseudomonasinfection can be harmless. Most people who develop symptoms will only experience a mild infection that’s easily treated, such as swimmer’s ear. In some cases, however, aPseudomonasinfection can be severe and life-threatening, especially for people with compromised immune systems or certain health conditions, such as cystic fibrosis.
Depending on their current state of health, people who become ill from the bacteria could require prompt medical attention. People who are immunocompromised and those who are hospital inpatients are at high risk for infection.
17 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Library of Medicine.Pseudomonas.Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.Pseudomonas.Iglewski BH.Pseudomonas. In: Baron S, ed.Medical Microbiology. 4th ed. University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; 1996.HealthLink BC.Pseudomonas infection.Reynolds D, Kollef M.The epidemiology and pathogenesis and treatment of pseudomonas aeruginosa infections: An update.Drugs.2021 Dec;81(18):2117-2131. doi:10.1007/s40265-021-01635-6Hernández-Jiménez P, López-Medrano F, Fernández-Ruiz M, Silva JT, Corbella L, San-Juan R, Lizasoain M, Díaz-Regañón J, Viedma E, Aguado JM.Risk factors and outcomes for multidrug resistantPseudomonas aeruginosainfection in immunocompromised patients.Antibiotics (Basel).2022 Oct 23;11(11):1459. doi:10.3390/antibiotics11111459Moradali MF, Ghods S, Rehm BH.Pseudomonas aeruginosaLifestyle: A paradigm for adaptation, survival, and persistence.Front Cell Infect Microbiol.2017 Feb 15;7:39. doi:10.3389/fcimb.2017.00039Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pseudomonas aeruginosain healthcare settings.American Lung Association.Pneumonia symptoms and diagnosis.Gonzalez MR, Fleuchot B, Lauciello L, Jafari P, Applegate LA, Raffoul W, Que YA, Perron K.Effect of human burn wound exudate on pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence.mSphere.2016 Apr 27;1(2):e00111-15. doi:10.1128/mSphere.00111-15Mount Sinai.Burns.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Swimmer’s ear.Medline Plus.Malignant otitis externa.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.FAQs about catheter-associated urinary tract infection.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Septicemia.Zakhour J, Sharara SL, Hindy JR, Haddad SF, Kanj SS.Antimicrobial treatment ofPseudomonas aeruginosasevere sepsis.Antibiotics (Basel).2022 Oct 18;11(10):1432. doi:10.3390/antibiotics11101432Kunz Coyne AJ, El Ghali A, Holger D, Rebold N, Rybak MJ.Therapeutic strategies for emerging multidrug-resistant pseudomonas aeruginosa.Infect Dis Ther.2022 Apr;11(2):661-682. doi:10.1007/s40121-022-00591-2
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Library of Medicine.Pseudomonas.Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.Pseudomonas.Iglewski BH.Pseudomonas. In: Baron S, ed.Medical Microbiology. 4th ed. University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; 1996.HealthLink BC.Pseudomonas infection.Reynolds D, Kollef M.The epidemiology and pathogenesis and treatment of pseudomonas aeruginosa infections: An update.Drugs.2021 Dec;81(18):2117-2131. doi:10.1007/s40265-021-01635-6Hernández-Jiménez P, López-Medrano F, Fernández-Ruiz M, Silva JT, Corbella L, San-Juan R, Lizasoain M, Díaz-Regañón J, Viedma E, Aguado JM.Risk factors and outcomes for multidrug resistantPseudomonas aeruginosainfection in immunocompromised patients.Antibiotics (Basel).2022 Oct 23;11(11):1459. doi:10.3390/antibiotics11111459Moradali MF, Ghods S, Rehm BH.Pseudomonas aeruginosaLifestyle: A paradigm for adaptation, survival, and persistence.Front Cell Infect Microbiol.2017 Feb 15;7:39. doi:10.3389/fcimb.2017.00039Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pseudomonas aeruginosain healthcare settings.American Lung Association.Pneumonia symptoms and diagnosis.Gonzalez MR, Fleuchot B, Lauciello L, Jafari P, Applegate LA, Raffoul W, Que YA, Perron K.Effect of human burn wound exudate on pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence.mSphere.2016 Apr 27;1(2):e00111-15. doi:10.1128/mSphere.00111-15Mount Sinai.Burns.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Swimmer’s ear.Medline Plus.Malignant otitis externa.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.FAQs about catheter-associated urinary tract infection.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Septicemia.Zakhour J, Sharara SL, Hindy JR, Haddad SF, Kanj SS.Antimicrobial treatment ofPseudomonas aeruginosasevere sepsis.Antibiotics (Basel).2022 Oct 18;11(10):1432. doi:10.3390/antibiotics11101432Kunz Coyne AJ, El Ghali A, Holger D, Rebold N, Rybak MJ.Therapeutic strategies for emerging multidrug-resistant pseudomonas aeruginosa.Infect Dis Ther.2022 Apr;11(2):661-682. doi:10.1007/s40121-022-00591-2
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Library of Medicine.Pseudomonas.Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.Pseudomonas.Iglewski BH.Pseudomonas. In: Baron S, ed.Medical Microbiology. 4th ed. University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; 1996.HealthLink BC.Pseudomonas infection.Reynolds D, Kollef M.The epidemiology and pathogenesis and treatment of pseudomonas aeruginosa infections: An update.Drugs.2021 Dec;81(18):2117-2131. doi:10.1007/s40265-021-01635-6Hernández-Jiménez P, López-Medrano F, Fernández-Ruiz M, Silva JT, Corbella L, San-Juan R, Lizasoain M, Díaz-Regañón J, Viedma E, Aguado JM.Risk factors and outcomes for multidrug resistantPseudomonas aeruginosainfection in immunocompromised patients.Antibiotics (Basel).2022 Oct 23;11(11):1459. doi:10.3390/antibiotics11111459Moradali MF, Ghods S, Rehm BH.Pseudomonas aeruginosaLifestyle: A paradigm for adaptation, survival, and persistence.Front Cell Infect Microbiol.2017 Feb 15;7:39. doi:10.3389/fcimb.2017.00039Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pseudomonas aeruginosain healthcare settings.American Lung Association.Pneumonia symptoms and diagnosis.Gonzalez MR, Fleuchot B, Lauciello L, Jafari P, Applegate LA, Raffoul W, Que YA, Perron K.Effect of human burn wound exudate on pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence.mSphere.2016 Apr 27;1(2):e00111-15. doi:10.1128/mSphere.00111-15Mount Sinai.Burns.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Swimmer’s ear.Medline Plus.Malignant otitis externa.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.FAQs about catheter-associated urinary tract infection.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Septicemia.Zakhour J, Sharara SL, Hindy JR, Haddad SF, Kanj SS.Antimicrobial treatment ofPseudomonas aeruginosasevere sepsis.Antibiotics (Basel).2022 Oct 18;11(10):1432. doi:10.3390/antibiotics11101432Kunz Coyne AJ, El Ghali A, Holger D, Rebold N, Rybak MJ.Therapeutic strategies for emerging multidrug-resistant pseudomonas aeruginosa.Infect Dis Ther.2022 Apr;11(2):661-682. doi:10.1007/s40121-022-00591-2
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pseudomonas aeruginosain healthcare settings.
American Lung Association.Pneumonia symptoms and diagnosis.
Gonzalez MR, Fleuchot B, Lauciello L, Jafari P, Applegate LA, Raffoul W, Que YA, Perron K.Effect of human burn wound exudate on pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence.mSphere.2016 Apr 27;1(2):e00111-15. doi:10.1128/mSphere.00111-15
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Kunz Coyne AJ, El Ghali A, Holger D, Rebold N, Rybak MJ.Therapeutic strategies for emerging multidrug-resistant pseudomonas aeruginosa.Infect Dis Ther.2022 Apr;11(2):661-682. doi:10.1007/s40121-022-00591-2
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