The Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterium can be found in water, land, plants or animals, and even humans since their food needs to survive are very minimal; However, in humans, it is more common to find it in the more humid areas such as the armpits, ears and the area around the anus, although it is doubtful that it causes disorders in people who are entirely healthy or with a system robust immune system.
When infections caused by pseudomonas do occur, they can be external and mild, affecting the ear or hair follicles, or they could be severe and internal, such as those involving the lungs, bloodstream, or heart valves. In other words, the severity ranges from a very mild disorder to profound alterations that can be life-threatening.
If you don’t know much about this bacterium, at FastlyHealwe offer you all the information about pseudomonas infection: symptoms, causes, and treatment.
Table of Contents
Primary symptoms of pseudomonas infection
The symptoms of pseudomonas infections vary depending on the type of infection and its location.
If it is an infection in the respiratory tract, the manifestations of a chronic cough, loss of appetite, wheezing in the chest when breathing, weight loss, confusion, chills, and shortness of breath may be noted, which causes the skin color looks more bluish.
If the pseudomonas invasion is localized to the heart valves, the most common symptoms are fever, fatigue, a heart murmur, fluid in the lungs, dizziness, weakness, fast or irregular heartbeat, and fluid retention in the body.
If the disorder is in the central nervous system, the development of high fever, stiffness in the back and neck, severe headaches, and confusion is perceived. On the other hand, if the alteration is present in the bones and joints, inflammation and discomfort may be felt in the affected area, and fever and pain, mainly in the neck and back.
Infection in the ears, skin, or eyes causes symptoms such as discomfort in the affected area, itching, inflammation, fever, suppuration, extreme sensitivity, and paralysis of the nerves existing in the face. While if the disorder is in the eyes, vision problems may be suffered or, on the other hand, the presence of nails with green coloration, pus and odor if the disorder is present on the skin.
If the pseudomonas disorder is gastrointestinal, symptoms include irritability, vomiting, diarrhea, migraine, dehydration, fever, abdominal discomfort, and stomach distention.
Causes of pseudomonas infections
Within the broad group of bacteria, pseudomonas species can be located almost anywhere with humidity, either in an inanimate object or a living being, such as plants and animals; being normal to find a certain amount of these in the human body, and Although all types of pseudomonas are potential human pathogens, many of the cases of infection are caused by the species Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
It is so common that you are in direct contact with it daily. In addition to those housed in the body, they can be present in food or objects commonly used. For the infection to develop, pseudomonas must first cross the body’s defenses in considerable numbers, then locate inappropriate places with moisture to multiply rapidly and invade the area; Furthermore, depending on their degree of virulence, they can travel to other tissues or organs through the blood and cause various infections.
This bacterium is an opportunistic pathogen; it remains in the body waiting for an opportunity to invade it and occurs when the immune system is shallow or the general state of health deteriorates. For this reason, people with a greater predisposition to pseudomonas infection are exposed to chemotherapy, are dialyzed, suffer from pulmonary diseases or severe burns, have wounds or previous conditions, or the defense mechanisms are inferior such as those who are HIV positive. And in premature babies.
Treatment to fight pseudomonas infections
To correctly diagnose that the infection is due to pseudomonas, it is necessary to perform an exudate or take a tissue sample from the affected area and then analyze the microbial culture and make the test positive.
The treatment of a pseudomonas infection will depend on the professional’s criteria, where the problem is located, the degree of virulence, and the patient’s health status. Generally, it is fought through antibiotics or sulfonamide compounds, either topically if the alteration is in the skin, orally or intravenously, depending on the severity and the situation of each person; however, they are highly resistant bacteria, and some of them can acquire resistance to certain drugs, mainly antibiotics.
If the infection is severe, difficult to treat, or invading the heart valves, the specialist may recommend surgery to replace the valve. It is essential to make an urgent medical consultation if you have one or more of the symptoms mentioned above.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
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I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.