Pseudomonas (P. aeruginosa)

Pseudomonas is a genus of Gram-negative, aerobic Gammaproteobacteria characterized by its metabolic versatility and widespread presence in environmental and clinical settings (CDC, 2019). The most clinically significant species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, is a major opportunistic pathogen responsible for severe healthcare-associated infections, including ventilator-associated pneumonia and catheter-related bloodstream infections (StatPearls, 2023). It is particularly notorious for causing chronic lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis, where it forms robust biofilms that protect it from the host immune system and antibiotic treatment (NIH, 2021). Pseudomonas species possess a high level of intrinsic resistance to many antimicrobial agents due to low outer membrane permeability, the expression of various efflux pumps, and the production of antibiotic-inactivating enzymes like beta-lactamases (Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2018). Treatment typically requires specific antipseudomonal antibiotics, such as certain carbapenems, cephalosporins, or aminoglycosides, often used in combination to overcome resistance (PubMed, 2022). The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains poses a significant global health threat, necessitating the development of new therapeutic approaches (WHO, 2017).

Other names

Pseudomonas speciesPseudomonas aeruginosaP. aeruginosa

Antibiotics targeting Pseudomonas act through various mechanisms: fluoroquinolones inhibit DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV to prevent DNA replication; beta-lactams inhibit penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) to disrupt cell wall synthesis; aminoglycosides bind to the 30S ribosomal subunit to inhibit protein synthesis; and polymyxins disrupt the outer bacterial membrane (StatPearls, 2023).