EDITORIAL

Cystic fibrosis

Cross infection of cystic fibrosis patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa

T L Pitt

Laboratory of Hospital Infection, Central Public Health Laboratory, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5HT, UK; tpitt@phls.org.uk

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Cross infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa between patients with CF has been reported. If this problem becomes widespread, there may be a case for genotyping all strains of P aeruginosa from CF clinics on a regular basis.

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Keywords: cystic fibrosis; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; cross infection

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

It was once stated that pseudomonads are probably the most abundant and widespread life form on the planet. While this may be debatable, there is no doubt that Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most ubiquitous of bacterial species and comprises an almost limitless number of strain populations. Excluding patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), P aeruginosa infections—although associated with high mortality in immunocompromised individuals—are generally manageable. The choice of antimicrobial compounds has not been significantly diminished by resistance, and for most antibiotic groups about 90% of strains remain susceptible.¹

It has long been accepted that the lungs of patients with CF become colonised with P aeruginosa from the natural environment and this is reflected by the wide range of strain types recovered from these patients. Indeed, apart from summer camps and group holiday activities where there was good evidence of acquisition of strains from companions with CF,² cross . . . [Full text of this article]

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