Pseudomonas Infection Treatment

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative bacteria, which is rod-shaped and bluish-green in color. This bacteria breeds in moist environment, and they may pose serious health hazards in people whose immune system is compromised.

More so, this bacteria is known for its resistance to many antibiotics that are used for controlling the inflammatory responses of the immune system. Precisely, this bacteria acts more as an immunosuppressant, which releases toxic proteins that are harmful to animal and plant life.

There are many diseases which indicate the presence of this bacterial infection, as there is no definite set of symptoms for the same. They are:

• Hot tub folliculitis
• Malignant external otitis (Inflammation of the ear canal)
• Severe form of eye infection

• Soft tissues infection
• Respiratory system infection
• Dermatitis
• Bone and joint infection
• Gastrointestinal infection
• Bloodstream infection (Bacteremia)
• Pneumonia
• Urinary tract infection
• Cardiovascular infection

• Body ache
• Difficulty in breathing
• Swollen eyelids
• Weight loss
• Skin turning pale blue in color
• Coughing
• Irritability
• Impaired vision and hearing
• Headaches
• Accumulation of blue pus in the tissue during injury
• Hazy consciousness

The risk factors that can aggravate the aforementioned symptoms are:

• Cystic fibrosis
• Diabetes
• HIV/AIDS
• Cancer
• Burn injuries
• Immunosuppressant drugs

A pseudomonas infection can also factor a distressing nail problem leaving an unpleasant green discoloration in the nail. Nail infection caused by this bacteria is most likely to occur if a person is exposed to a moist environment for a prolonged period of time. Its treatment procedure is as follows:

• The treatment commences with a 30 day wash out period using systemic antimicrobials.
• After 6 weeks of applying 0.1% of octenidine dihydrochloride solution, the nail condition is assessed. Gradually, the discoloration disappears.

• Another treatment option is to remove the onycholytic portion of the nail and prevent it from getting wet. It is advised that the nail bed be brushed with a 2% sodium hypochlorite solution, twice daily.

• Another effective remedy is to use diluted acetic acid or polymyxin B₂ with vinegar soaks (a diluted solution containing 10 parts water and 1 part white vinegar). This application needs to be repeated twice (5-10 minutes) daily for 5 days.

• A well-known antibacterial agent that helps treat this condition is octenidine dihydrochloride since it exhibits toxicity towards the bacteria. Also, this medication is well tolerated by many patients. About 0.1% of this solution is a safe therapeutic treatment for nail infections.

The wound infections are treated by a combination therapy containing 2 antipseudomonal drugs: beta-lactam antibiotic and aminoglycoside. This combination is administered during the initial stage of the infection.

Patients with other health conditions like neutropenia, bacteremia, sepsis, and respiratory disorders are also treated with this combined medication.

Other medications which can be used include:

• Sulfadiazine
• Ciprofloxacin
• Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole
• Ampicillin-sulbactam
• Chloramphenicol
• Meropenem
• Ceftazidime with/without amoxicillin clavulanate

The aforementioned antibiotic treatments can last for about 1-3 months, depending on the severity of the condition. In case of wound and nail infections, aftercare is very important. The wounds must be dressed well from time to time to prevent any further exposure to bacteria.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.