Pseudomonas putrefaciens as a cause of infection in humans

Pseudomonas putrefaciens, a strongly H2S-producing pseudomonad, was isolated from 10 human infections over a two-year period. In one patient the organism was repeatedly isolated from a phlegmone developing in the depth of a varicose leg ulcer. This is the first report on the occurrence of Ps. putrefaciens in humans outside the USA and the first to provide the detailed account of a clinical observation where the opportunistic pathogenic role of this unfamiliar organism has been sufficiently documented. Data are presented on the bacteriological properties and on the antibiotic sensitivity of Ps. putrefaciens.