Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a microorganism that causes acute or chronic infections, sometimes serious and fatal. It is particularly rife in hospitals and exposes patients with a weak immune system. The growing resistance of certain strains of this bacterium to antibiotics makes these infections a real public health problem.

Each year in France, 750 nosocomial infections (contracted during or following hospitalization) are recorded, ie 000% of the total number of patients, responsible for some 5 deaths. (4) According to the results of a national survey of the prevalence of nosocomial infections conducted by the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance, the proportion of these infections attributable to the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa is greater than 8%. (2)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is responsible for multiple infections of the body: urinary, skin, pulmonary, ophthalmological …

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative bacterium that lives in soil, water and humid environments such as taps and pipes, and has a great capacity to adapt to hostile environments. Its many virulence factors make it a very pathogenic agent for weakened or immunocompromised organisms, leading to a high rate of morbidity and mortality.

The people most at risk in hospitals are patients: who have undergone surgery; exposed to an invasive device such as a urinary catheter, catheter or intubation; immunocompromised by HIV or chemotherapy. Note that young and old people are also more exposed. Severe burn victims are very exposed to the risk, often fatal, of skin infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes about 40% of ventilator-related pneumonia deaths. (3)

The transmission of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is done by the hands of healthcare workers and infected medical equipment. Invasive medical procedures such as the insertion of a catheter or urinary catheter pose a high risk of transmission of infectious agents.

While infections in hospitals present the greatest public health challenge, it should be remembered that Pseudomonas aeruginosa is not confined there and that infections can occur elsewhere, for example in hot baths or poorly maintained swimming pools (often via contact lenses). Likewise, the bacteria can be involved in foodborne infections.

The hands of nursing staff and medical equipment must be washed and / or disinfected and / or sterilized before and after each treatment, according to established protocols. A national system has been set up in France to prevent nosocomial infections: Committees for the fight against nosocomial infections (CLIN) ensure the implementation of draconian hygiene and asepsis measures in hospitals, and their compliance. by caregivers, visitors and the patients themselves.

Progress has been made since the early 2000s with, for example, the use of hydro-alcoholic solutions for hand hygiene and the use of silicone less conducive to the development of bacteria on medical devices.

Treatment with antibiotics for nosocomial infections and infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa must take into account the fact that strains of bacteria are showing resistance to an increasing number of these antibiotics. In fact, about 20% of strains of the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa are resistant to the antibiotics ceftazidime and carbapenems. (1)