Pseudomonas aeruginosa – symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of blue pus bacillus infection

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a stick of blue oil, i.e. a bacterium responsible for infections of the respiratory system, burn wounds, but also bones and soft tissues. People with reduced immunity are particularly exposed to its effects. Often its presence is also found in hospitalized patients who stay in hospital for more than a week. What are the causes of contamination with the stick of blue oil? How to recognize the first symptoms of infection? How is Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection treated? What preventive actions should be taken to protect against its dangerous to health and life?

Pseudomonas aeruginosa – basic information

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, also known as the blue oil rod, is a gram negative bacterium with dimensions of 0,5-0,8 µm by 1,5-3,0 µm. Gram-negative bacteria are surrounded by a cell wall, which includes the outer membrane, the murein layer, and the inner membrane. Thanks to the membrane, the infection-fighting white blood cells cannot absorb the bacteria. In addition, the inner membrane protects the bacteria against certain antibiotics, such as penicillin, for example.

The translation of the name of this bacterium means “false ginseng unit”. The word “Pseudomonas” in Greek means “false individual.” “Pseudēs” is false and “monas” is single. The term false unit in the early days of microbiology was used to denote microbes. The second part of the name of the blue oil stick, or “aeruginosa” in Latin, means grinswood, or copper corrosion. This association with copper corrosion comes from the turquoise color of the blue oil rod bacterial cultures.

This bacterium primarily lives and grows in soil and water, as well as on the surface of plants, less often on the skin of animals.. In some cases, it is also present on the skin of people who exhibit normal immune system function. The optimal temperature for the development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is 37 degrees Celsius, but it can also grow up to 42 degrees Celsius.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the so-called opportunistic bacterium. This means that it only poses a risk of infection in people with reduced immune system function. Infection with the stick of blue oil is dangerous primarily for patients suffering from cystic fibrosis.

The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosama has very low or even minimal nutrient requirements. In addition, it shows a wide tolerance of the environmental conditions in which it is currently located. Therefore, the growth process is relatively quick and easy. The blue oil stick also produces enzymes that digest proteins. Thanks to this property, it can easily penetrate deep into the tissues.

An additional property of the blue oil rod is the production of dyes, it is a species feature of all microorganisms from the Pseudomonas family. The dyes produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa are:

1. pyocyanin – blue-green dye. This color can be observed in the secretions from places infected with the stick of blue oil;
2. fluorescein – it is a dye that causes green fluorescence when exposed to ultraviolet radiation;
3. piorubina – red dye;
4. melanin – brown dye.

It is worth mentioning that the blue oil rod is resistant to many antibiotics. Natural resistance includes, inter alia, co-trimoxazole and many B-lactam antibiotics.

What are pathogens and what diseases do they cause? Check: Pathogen – what is it? Viral pathogens, bacterial pathogens and diseases caused by them

Pseudomonas aeruginosa – mechanisms of infection development

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as has already been indicated, is an opportunistic bacterium, i.e. one that is primarily a threat to immunocompromised people. However, it is worth considering what are the factors responsible for the fact that the blue oil stick is pathogenic.

In the case of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the determinants of pathogenicity are:

1. mucous alginate shell – is a shell made of mannuronic and glucuronic acid. It gives the blue pus stick a slime-shiny appearance. It acts as an adhesive and antiphagocytic factor. The adhesive property allows the blue oil stick to connect with its surface layer with any other body it comes into contact with;
2. relationship – is a protein that builds the sex piluses of bacteria. Pilina is important in the initial colonization of the epithelium;
3. fimbrialne i niefimbrialne adhezyny – are responsible for colonization into epithelial tissue;
4. hemolizyny — n.p. phospholipase;
5. dyes – e.g. pyocyanin inhibits the growth of other bacteria, which gives the blue oil colony more space for multiplication;
6. elastase – digests proteins and destroys tissue;
7. toxins – the main toxin produced by the blue oil rod is exotoxin A. Its action inhibits protein synthesis. The production of this toxin depends primarily on the presence of iron. Another toxin is Exotoxin S, which inhibits the activity of phagocytes. This toxin is produced in burn wounds. The toxins produced by this bacterium are also involved in the degradation of elastin and damage to elastin-rich tissues. The consequence of which may be the destruction of the lung parenchyma or gangrenous pneumonia.

The pathogenesis of blue oil stick infection includes 3 stages:

1. attachment of bacteria to cells and colonization – bacteria have structures thanks to which they attach to human cells and then penetrate deep into the body’s tissues;
2. invasion – it occurs through disruption of the body’s immune system;
3. generalized infection – the blue oil rod travels with the blood throughout the body and causes general infection.

The colonization of the respiratory tract in patients with cystic fibrosis and those undergoing artificial ventilation with a respirator is of particular importance. Infection with the stick of blue oil can affect any organ.

What should you know about antibiotic-resistant bacteria? Check: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are more viable

Pseudomonas aeruginosa – who is at risk of getting infected?

As already mentioned, patients with reduced immunity are particularly vulnerable to infection with the stick of blue oil. Therefore, it is indicated that patients are at risk of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection:

1. after transplants;
2. patients with AIDS;
3. with cystic fibrosis;
4. with neutropenia;
5. with uncontrolled diabetes;
6. with hematological disease;
7. with cancer;
8. with burns;
9. drug addicts;
10. with indwelling catheter;
11. with an endotracheal tube;
12. connected to a respirator;
13. staying for a long time in the Intensive Care Unit.

What are the symptoms of reduced immunity? Check: Symptoms of reduced immunity – fatigue, changes in the mouth, rashes, frequent colds. This is how your body warns you

Pseudomonas aeruginosa – frequency of infections

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is primarily considered to be the most common pathogen responsible for nosocomial infections. This is especially true for those patients who stay in hospital wards for more than one week.

However, it is worth mentioning that this bacterium is the greatest threat to people suffering from cystic fibrosis. As it turns out, the presence of the blue oil stick is found in materials collected from 20% of children suffering from cystic fibrosis under one year. In the case of adults with this disease, it is already 80-90%.

In turn, in the United States, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the fourth most isolated pathogen responsible for nosocomial infections and the cause of approximately 10% of all nosocomial infections.

How to recognize and treat cystic fibrosis? Check: Cystic fibrosis – causes, symptoms, complications and treatment [EXPLAINED]

Pseudomonas aeruginosa — diseases

The blue oil stick causes infections in people with low immunity. Among the diseases caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the following are indicated:

1. digestive tract infections;
2. urinary tract infections – common in catheterized people;
3. meningitis – the most common infection comes through the ear, bones, and paranasal sinuses;
4. skin infections – very often in people with burns or pressure ulcers. There is also the so-called “Green nail syndrome”, which is a periungual infection that occurs in people who often have wet hands, for example because of their work;
5. pericarditis and endocarditis;
6. sinusitis;
7. respiratory tract infections – mainly in patients with cystic fibrosis or who are connected to a ventilator for a long time;
8. otitis – infections in the middle and outer ear;
9. central nervous system infection;
10. intra-abdominal infection in patients after surgery;
11. eyeball infections in patients with contact lenses. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most common pathogens causing bacterial keratitis;
12. bone and joint infections most often affect the spine, pelvis and the sternoclavicular joint. Infection can occur through the blood, for example, in injecting drug users, through trauma, through soft tissue continuity;
13. bacteremia, or the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the blood;
14. bone marrow inflammation.

It is worth remembering that the blue oil stick is insensitive to commonly used disinfectants and is resistant to the most commonly used antibiotics. As such, it is one of the most dangerous and common causes of nosocomial infections, including severe and life-threatening bloodstream infections such as sepsis.

What is blood poisoning? Read on: Blood infection – causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of bacteremia [EXPLAINED]

Pseudomonas aeruginosa – signs of infection

Symptoms that may occur in the case of blue pus infection depend on the tissue occupied by the bacterium and the general condition of the patient. In nosocomial infections, the infection can take a systemic form and can be life-threatening.

Symptoms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection:

1. respiratory tract infection – fever, chills, severe shortness of breath, cough, confusion, pulmonary rales and cyanosis. In addition, chronically ill patients may experience chronic cough with expectoration of secretions, reluctance to eat, weight loss and audible wheezing in the chest;
2. endocarditis – fever, general weakness, heart murmur during auscultation, Roth spots, i.e. ecchymosis on the retina, small painless erythematous changes on the hands and feet – Janeway symptom, painful reddish nodules on the fingers – the so-called Osler’s nodules, subungual petechiae;
3. central nervous system infection (usually presents as meningitis or as a brain abscess) – fever, headache, confusion;
4. outer ear infection – sharp pain, itching, purulent discharge from the external auditory canal, swelling and tenderness of the soft tissues around the ear, enlargement of the surrounding lymph nodes. In some cases, paralysis of the facial nerve may occur, symptoms of which include mouth corner drooping, eye regurgitation, inability to blink, whistle, frown or grin;
5. infections within the eyeball – pain, redness, swelling of the eyelids, purulent discharge and visual impairment;
6. bone and joint infections – swelling and pain and a constant fever;
7. digestive tract infection – diarrhea, headache and fever leading to extreme wasting;
8. urinary tract infections – nosocomial infections associated with catheterization and procedures on the urinary tract;
9. skin infections – green nail syndrome, characteristic blue-green discharge with a sweetish smell;
10. bacteremia, i.e. the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the blood – characteristic skin lesions, lumps, blisters with hemorrhagic content that burst, forming an ulcer with a black scab and an erythematous rim.

What bacterial diseases are most often diagnosed? Read: The most common bacterial diseases – overview and characteristics

Pseudomonas aeruginosa – diagnosis

If a patient develops symptoms of an infection with the pus stick, see a doctor immediately. Especially if it is a patient diagnosed with reduced immunity.

The diagnosis and diagnosis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection is based on microbiological culture. Seeding is a multi-step process. The culture material can be blood, urine, feces, semen, sputum, vaginal discharge, cerebrospinal fluid, swab from the throat, ear, nose, oral mucosa, as well as from the conjunctival sacs of the eyes, from pustules, wounds, fistulas or abscesses.

The first stage of this study is the culture of biological material, i.e. the application of a material sample taken from the patient on the so-called growing medium. It is a mixture of carefully selected nutrients that allow the growth and multiplication of microorganisms, in this case the blue oil rod bacteria.

The blue oil rod grows well on most laboratory media in the temperature range of 5 to 42 degrees. Usually, plain or blood agar and MacConkey medium are used in the diagnosis of this bacterial infection in the laboratory medium. The blue oil rod is also grown on cetrimide agar where it grows as yellow-green colonies.

The presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the collected material is determined on the basis of:

1. Gram staining;
2. the inability to ferment lactose while the ability to ferment glucose and maltose is preserved;
3. positive oxidase reaction;
4. ability to grow at 42 ° C;
5. a characteristic smell described as the smell of jasmine, crayons, honey or soap
6. fluorescence (only in some cases).

It is also useful for a proper diagnosis to know that more than half of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains produce a blue-green pigment.

What are swabs and when are they performed? Check: Swabs – what are they and when to do them?

Pseudomonas aeruginosa – resistance to treatment

The blue oil rod is naturally resistant to most antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections. This resistance is due to the relative impermeability of the cell wall and membrane. The natural resistance of this bacterium includes many β-lactam antibiotics.

In addition, it is worth mentioning that strains that developed in a hospital setting may be resistant to a much larger number of drugs. This is due to plasmids that contain resistance genes. These genes are passed on between bacteria through transduction and conjugation. In addition, some Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains produce enzymes that break down some of the beta-lactam antibiotics.

What should you know about antibiotic resistance in bacteria? Read on: Bacterial resistance to antibiotics has doubled in the last 20 years

Pseudomonas aeruginosa – treatment with antibiotics

Infections with the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa are extremely difficult to treat. This is because the blue oil rod is resistant to most antibiotics. Therefore, very often in the treatment of infection caused by this bacterium, combination antibiotics are used – usually two antibiotics. These drugs are used on the basis of an antibiogram assessing the susceptibility of the infecting strain to antibacterial drugs.

The blue oil stick is sensitive to drugs such as:

1. aminoglycosides – gentamicin, amikacin, tobramycin;
2. fluoroquinolones – ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin, but not moxifloxacin;
3. XNUMXrd and XNUMXth generation cephalosporins – ceftazidime, cefoperazone, cefsulodine, cefepime, cefpirome, but not cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime;
4. ureidopenicyliny — azlocylina, mezlocylina, piperacylina, tikarcylina, karbenicylina;
5. carbapenems – meropenem, imipenem, but not ertapenem;
6. carboxypenicillins – carbenicillin, carindacillin, carfecillin, ticracillin;
7. polymyxins – polymyxin B and colistin;
8. monobaktamy-aztreonam.

Long-term and targeted treatment of the infection with the blue pus bacillus may lead to the complete removal of this bacteria from the patient’s body. However, in some cases the disease can be fatal, especially in the presence of comorbidities. Burn wound infections, sepsis and meningitis are the most common cause of mortality.

How do antibiotics work? Check: Antibiotics – types, action, use and side effects [EXPLAIN]

Pseudomonas aeruginosa – natural treatment

Despite the difficulties in treating infections with the blue oil stick, natural treatment methods are known and practiced. It is worth remembering that Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria are not susceptible to standard disinfectants. However, low pH and drying are deadly.

There are also reports of the properties of gallium in the treatment of blue oil bacillus infections. It turns out that Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria take up gallium due to its similarity to iron, which they need for proper growth and development. However, gallium does not fulfill these biological roles and consequently kills the bacteria of the blue oil rod.

There are also home methods of treating infections caused by the stick of blue oil:

1. oregano oil – this product supports the antibiotic therapy used. Oregano oil has antibacterial properties and is considered to be the strongest natural antibiotic. It owes its properties to the tannins and phenolic bundles present in the composition. The effectiveness of oregano oil in the control of Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been confirmed by research;
2. manuka honey – reports of scientists from the University of Lund in Sweden confirm that a XNUMX% solution of manuka honey kills the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

It is worth mentioning that the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the blue oil stick to the highest risk bacteria. Therefore, during antibiotic therapy, it is worth supporting and strengthening your body with natural means.

What should you know about oregano oil? Check: Oregano oil and its properties

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Infection with the stick of blue oil can pose a serious threat to the health and life of the patient. Therefore, it is much easier to prevent these infections than to treat them later.

The first and most important prophylactic measure to protect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection is hygiene and the use of appropriate disinfectants.

Another important safeguard against the risk of developing the disease is zvaccinating against blue pus infection. The Pseudovac vaccine is currently available. The indications for vaccination are the risk of infection and sepsis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, especially in people with extensive burns or long-term hospital stay. This vaccine can be used prophylactically to obtain immunity, but also therapeutically in people who are already infected. The effectiveness of Biomed’s Pseudovac vaccine has been proven through research.

What are the basics of personal hygiene? Check: Personal hygiene