Mechanisms of Antibiotic and Biocide Resistance That Contribute to Pseudomonas aeruginosa Persistence in the Hospital Environment

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen responsible for multiple hospital- and community-acquired infections, both in human and veterinary medicine. P. aeruginosa persistence in clinical settings is worrisome and is a result of its remarkable flexibility and adaptability. This species exhibits several characteristics that allow it to thrive under different environmental conditions, including the ability to colonize inert materials such as medical equipment and hospital surfaces. P. aeruginosa presents several intrinsic mechanisms of defense that allow it to survive external aggressions, but it is also able to develop strategies and evolve into multiple phenotypes to persevere, which include antimicrobial-tolerant strains, persister cells, and biofilms. Currently, these emergent pathogenic strains are a worldwide problem and a major concern. Biocides are frequently used as a complementary/combination strategy to control the dissemination of P. aeruginosa-resistant strains; however, tolerance to commonly used biocides has also already been reported, representing an impediment to the effective elimination of this important pathogen from clinical settings. This review focuses on the characteristics of P. aeruginosa responsible for its persistence in hospital environments, including those associated with its antibiotic and biocide resistance ability.

The chemical composition and the preservative, antimicrobial, and antioxidant effects of Thymus broussonetii Boiss. essential oil: an in vitro and in silico approach

“…In general, in bacteria, structural changes in the outer membrane protein (OMP) composition may have an effect on the adhesive ability and pathogenic properties of the organisms. P. aeruginosa can develop an intrinsic resistance to a wide range of biocides, which is associated with the nature of its outer membrane ( Verdial et al, 2023 ). This strain is known to be very persistent and predominant in cases of drug and cosmetic spoilage.…”

Genomic Insights into Pluralibacter gergoviae Sheds Light on Emergence of a Multidrug-Resistant Species Circulating between Clinical and Environmental Settings

“…As enterobacteria are known for their ability to exchange genetic materials [21], P. gergoviae also demonstrates the potential to act as a disseminator of ARG-bearing plasmids. Furthermore, P. gergoviae strains also carried biocide resistance genes, contributing to the co-selection of AMR and their persistence in clinical settings [22].…”

<i>P. aeruginosa</i> interactions with other microbes in biofilms during co-infection

“…P. aeruginosa is extremely difficult to eliminate mainly due to the low permeability of its cells, attributed to the gram-negative cell wall, added to the presence of efficient efflux systems from five superfamilies (major facilitator superfamily, ATP-binding cassette superfamily, resistance nodulation division family, small multidrug resistance family, and multidrug and toxic compound extrusion family), the expression of intrinsic and acquired antibiotic resistance mechanisms, the ability to express a considerable number of extracellular virulence factors, and the ability to adapt to several environmental conditions [151] .…”