Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Case Study
(2 pts) Why are patients with cystic fibrosis prone to infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa?
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic infection that usually does not affect healthy patients, but is particularly detrimental in patients with cystic fibrosis. This is because they are antibiotic resistant to a certain extent. Paired with this, patients with cystic fibrosis have a decreased ability to produce mucous membranes, making it easier for biofilms associated with P. aeruginosa (Lyczak et al 2002). This along with their seemingly advanced quorum sensing mechanism makes it very hard for these patients to defeat the infection that colonizes in the lungs (Wu et al 2004).
(3 pts) Provide a one paragraph summary of what is currently known about the quorum sensing mechanism in P. aeruginosa.
Currently it is known that P. aeruginosa utilizes N-acyl homoserine lactone (acyl-HSL), much like many other gram-negative bacteria, in order to coordinate population behavior during events like invasion, colonization, and attack. Since they form biofilms on respiratory devices that …show more content…
aeruginosa. It causes inflammation in the lung tissue and helps the bacteria get into the cells (N-3-oxo-dodecanoyl-L-Homoserine lactone, 2015). The authors tested it in this study to see if it would have any effect on the expression of the virulent genes of the bacteria. It has been shown that E. coli does respond to some acyl-HSL and that acyl-HSL causes an activation of these virulent genes. It was eliminated from further study because it did not cause expression of the virulent genes even when using a very high dosage. This is because it did not diffuse through the lungs and perhaps needed another substance to help it transport. We know this because it did activate the virulent genes in vitro where it did not need to be spread in order for it to affect the bacteria (Wu et al.,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic infection that usually does not affect healthy patients, but is particularly detrimental in patients with cystic fibrosis. This is because they are antibiotic resistant to a certain extent. Paired with this, patients with cystic fibrosis have a decreased ability to produce mucous membranes, making it easier for biofilms associated with P. aeruginosa (Lyczak et al 2002). This along with their seemingly advanced quorum sensing mechanism makes it very hard for these patients to defeat the infection that colonizes in the lungs (Wu et al 2004).
(3 pts) Provide a one paragraph summary of what is currently known about the quorum sensing mechanism in P. aeruginosa.
Currently it is known that P. aeruginosa utilizes N-acyl homoserine lactone (acyl-HSL), much like many other gram-negative bacteria, in order to coordinate population behavior during events like invasion, colonization, and attack. Since they form biofilms on respiratory devices that …show more content…
aeruginosa. It causes inflammation in the lung tissue and helps the bacteria get into the cells (N-3-oxo-dodecanoyl-L-Homoserine lactone, 2015). The authors tested it in this study to see if it would have any effect on the expression of the virulent genes of the bacteria. It has been shown that E. coli does respond to some acyl-HSL and that acyl-HSL causes an activation of these virulent genes. It was eliminated from further study because it did not cause expression of the virulent genes even when using a very high dosage. This is because it did not diffuse through the lungs and perhaps needed another substance to help it transport. We know this because it did activate the virulent genes in vitro where it did not need to be spread in order for it to affect the bacteria (Wu et al.,