Sepsis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Sepsis, including details on septicemia, diagnosis, symptoms, treatment.

A multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate from a lethal case of sepsis induces necrosis of human neutrophils.

Mencacci A, Cenci E, Repetto A, Mazzolla R, Bistoni F, Aversa F, Aloisi T, Vecchiarelli A

Microbiology Section, Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto, 06122 Perugia, Italy.

A multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (r-Pa) was isolated from a lethal case of sepsis in a bone marrow transplant recipient. Genotypic analysis of P. aeruginosa isolates demonstrated that sepsis was secondary to gut colonization. The interactions between r-Pa and patient's neutrophils were studied. The results indicate that: (1) the patient's neutrophil killing activity and nitric oxide production against r-Pa or drug sensitive P. aeruginosa (s-Pa) were profoundly impaired; (2) r-Pa cells, but not s-Pa cells or their filtered culture supernatants, induced necrosis of healthy donor neutrophils. Neutrophil necrosis emerges as a remarkable event in the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa sepsis.

Published 13 November 2006 in J Infect, 53(6): e259-64.
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