Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Use of Artificial Sputum Medium to Test Antibiotic Efficacy Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Conditions More Relevant to the Cystic Fibrosis Lung
07:46

Use of Artificial Sputum Medium to Test Antibiotic Efficacy Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Conditions More Relevant to the Cystic Fibrosis Lung

Published on: June 5, 2012

Molecular epidemiology of a multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa outbreak in a paediatric intensive care unit

G Miranda1, B Leanos, L Marquez

  • 1Infectious Diseases Department, Mexico City, Mexico.

Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases
|December 1, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa outbreaks in a pediatric intensive care unit were investigated. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) identified a single clone responsible for most infections, suggesting cross-contamination as the primary transmission route.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Hospital Epidemiology

Background:

  • Multiresistant (MR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa poses a significant threat in healthcare settings, particularly in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).
  • Early detection and characterization of bacterial clones are crucial for controlling hospital-acquired infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish a surveillance program for detecting MR Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections and colonization in hospitalized patients.
  • To investigate the genetic relatedness of P. aeruginosa isolates and identify potential transmission routes within the hospital.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective surveillance for P. aeruginosa in a PICU.
  • Molecular typing of isolates using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).
  • Comparison of PFGE results with outer membrane protein (OMP) profiles and serotyping for strain discrimination.

Main Results:

  • Fifty-five P. aeruginosa strains were isolated from 23 patients over two months.
  • PFGE identified a single clone infecting 14 patients, with transmission extending beyond the PICU.
  • PFGE demonstrated superior discriminatory power compared to OMP analysis and serotyping.

Conclusions:

  • Cross-contamination was the likely mode of acquisition for the majority of patients infected with the dominant P. aeruginosa clone.
  • PFGE is a highly effective tool for tracking the spread of P. aeruginosa within a hospital environment.
  • The study highlights the importance of robust surveillance and infection control measures to prevent the dissemination of multiresistant pathogens.

More Related Videos

Replication of the Ordered, Nonredundant Library of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PA14 Transposon Insertion Mutants11:35

Replication of the Ordered, Nonredundant Library of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PA14 Transposon Insertion Mutants

Published on: May 4, 2018

Tools for the Real-Time Assessment of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection Model07:39

Tools for the Real-Time Assessment of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection Model

Published on: April 6, 2021

Related Concept Videos

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing01:28

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
Atypical Pneumonia01:14

Atypical Pneumonia

Atypical pneumonia, often caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, is a form of pulmonary infection that differs from the classical presentation of bacterial pneumonia in both its cause and clinical symptoms. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a pleomorphic bacterium notable for its lack of a rigid cell wall. This structural characteristic imparts resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and significantly influences the bacterium’s behavior within the human host.Other pathogens responsible for the disease include...
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...
Pneumonia I: Introduction01:29

Pneumonia I: Introduction

Pneumonia is an infection of the lower respiratory tract that leads to inflammation of the lung parenchyma, often resulting in the accumulation of inflammatory exudate in the alveoli and airways. Unlike the watery, low-protein fluid exudate in pulmonary edema, the exudate in this case is a thick fluid rich in immune cells, proteins, and debris produced during infection and inflammation.This impairs gas exchange and can lead to consolidation of lung tissue. The infection may be caused by a...