Pseudomonas aeruginosa and

food poisoning
Subtitle
?What is Pseudomonas aeruginosa
P. aeruginosa grows well at 25°C to 37°C, and its ability to grow at 42°C
.helps distinguish it from many other Pseudomonas species
has the ability to survive under a variety of environmental conditions
its intrinsically advanced antibiotic resistance mechanisms
It not only causes disease in plants and animals, but also in humans,
causing serious infections in immunocompromised patients with
cancer and patients suffering from severe burns and cystic fibrosis
?How Pseudomonas aeruginosa Spread
Person to person: human source
Air/water/soil: environmental source
Food-borne micro-organisms are often sourced from their
environment, especially fruit and vegetable crops which can
be contaminated by the air or water or soil or all three
Organisms grow aerobically or anaerobically if nitrate is
,available as an inorganic electron acceptor
Pseudomonas aeruginosa hosts
 ?Who’s at Risk
You can get P. aeruginosa many different ways. It can grow on fruits and
vegetables, so you could get sick from eating contaminated food. It also
.thrives in moist areas like pools, hot tubs, bathrooms, kitchens, and sinks

.The most severe infections occur in hospitals

 ?What Are the Symptoms

Ears: pain and discharge

Skin: rash, which can include pimples filled with pus
Eyes: pain, redness, swelling
Bones or joints: joint pain and swelling; neck or back pain that lasts weeks
Wounds: green pus or discharge that may have a fruity smell
Digestive tract: headache, diarrhea
Lungs: pneumonia; severe coughing and congestion
Symptoms on different hosts
 ?Can Pseudomonas kill you

.They can kill people in our hospitals within 24 hours of striking

 P. Aeruginosa toxins
P. aeruginosa produces two extracellular protein toxins, Exoenzyme S and
Exotoxin A

Exoenzyme S is produced by bacteria growing in burned tissue and may be

detected in the blood before the bacteria . It has led to the suggestion that
exoenzyme S may act to impair the function of phagocytic cells in the
bloodstream and internal organs as a preparation for invasion by P.
.aeruginosa
 P. Aeruginosa toxins

Toxin A is a protein whose production is regulated by iron. The

.toxicity of toxin A is due to its ability to inhibit protein synthesis
role for toxin A in infections due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa is
supported by its extreme toxicity, its production by most clinical
.isolates
 How are P. Aeruginosa infections treated
P. Aeruginosa infections are treated with antibiotics. Unfortunately, many
pseudomonas infections are becoming more difficult to treat. These bacteria
have developed the ability to adapt and overcome antibiotics in their
.environment. This is called antibiotic resistance

It is important that your doctor selects an effective antibiotic. A doctor may

send a specimen from a patient to a laboratory first for testing in order to be
more certain. The laboratory will test the specimen to determine which
.antibiotic will work best
 Can I Prevent a P. Aeruginosa Infection
Wash your hands often. This is the best way to avoid getting
Rinse fruits and vegetables before eating. Even salad greens should
.be given a good wash
Avoid unclean pools and hot tubs. Pseudomonas will thrive in them
unless they’re cleaned often and the chlorine and pH are well-
.controlled
Clean your water bottles. Sterilize with boiling water between each
.use