Assigned ESKAPE Pathogen

My assigned ESKAPE Pathogen was Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

Why is this ESKAPE Pathogen of interest (in brief)

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa is of interest, because it is a common infection in hospitals after surgery, burn victims, and in individuals with weakened immune systems.

General Cellular and Morphological Characteristics of the Organism (taxonomic classification, nutrition, cell shape, habitat)

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa is a gammaproteobacteria.  This means that it is a gram negative bacteria.  It is rod-shaped and does not produce spores, but it does have a flagellum that allows it to move efficiently. It thrives in temperatures between 25ºC and 37ºC, but it can also survive in temperatures up to 42ºC making them more deadly in hospitals and clinical environments. They produce pigments that are typically a greenish color, and it can grow aerobically or anaerobically under minimal nutrition – it has even been known to grow in distilled water!

Clinical Importance and Prevalence

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa is able to grow in a wide range of environments under minimal nutrition, so it becomes dangerous in hospitals as it can easily infect someone who is immunocompromised.  Typical patients who become infected are cancer patients and burn victims,

Infection (How does the infection occur and where is it localized?)

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa can occur in most areas in the body where there is some sort of a body cavity or mucus membrane.  It can also occur on the skin of burn victims, and most places excluding in the blood.

Pathology (What disease is caused? What are the symptoms?)

Bacterial infection is caused, and can lead to colony growth, tissue invasion, and eventually the spread of the bacteria into other parts of the body.  Pneumonia can also occur from the infection of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa.

Ineffective Antibiotics (Antibiotics to which the organism has acquired resistance)

The organism has acquired resistance to all antibiotics except fluoroquinolones, gentamicin, and imipenem.

Effective Antibiotics (Antibiotics known to inhibit the organism)

Same as above.

Corresponding Safe Relative

Pseudomonas Putida

Putty, Murali. “Pseudomonas Aeruginosa.” Testing Lab Analysis: Mold, Legionella, Asbestos, Environmental Microbiology, USP 797, Radon, Lead, March, 2007.

Prince, Alice S. “Pseudomonas Aeruginosa.” NeuroImage, Academic Press, 2012