Pseudomonas aeruginosa
| Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Morphology | Genus Pseudomonas, of the Pseudomonadaceae family, are motile gram-negative aerobic bacteria, 2 – 4 μm long plump-shaped rods, with polar flagella which have an important role in pathogenicity. They are non-spore forming and can produce a large variety of extracellular toxins, including exotoxin A and enterotoxins. Other substances such as hydrocyanic acid, proteolytic enzymes, toxic surface slime, and haemolytic substances may also contribute to the pathogenicity of this species. |
| Growth Conditions | Cultures grow best with aeration, regardless of media (usually LB broth) and at warm temperatures (37oC) |
| Health Hazards | |
|---|---|
| Host Range | Humans, Animals (wild, domestic, livestock), Plants, and some Fungi |
| Modes of Transmission | P. aeruginosa have been found to survive within droplet nuclei and can remain in aerosols for long periods of time, thus there is evidence of potential airborne transmission. Contact with contaminated water is also a major route, but routes that pose the greatest health risk are skin exposure (for example, in contaminated hot tub water) and lung exposure from inhaling aerosols discharged from infected respiratory tracts. |
| Signs and Symptoms | Conjunctivitis, Upper Respiratory Infections, Pneumonia, Urinary Tract Infections, Wound Infection |
| Infectious Dose | Unknown |
| Incubation Period | Varies according to infection, eye infection can appear 24 – 72 hours after infection |
| Medical Precautions/Treatment | |
|---|---|
| Prophylaxis | Washing hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Antibiotic prophylaxis is also available for opportunistic infection prevention |
| Vaccines | None publically available |
| Treatment | Aggressive antibiotic therapy for severe infections; Local application of antibiotic ointment or drops for skin or eye infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is intrinsically resistant to many common antibiotics. |
| Surveillance | Monitor for symptoms. Diagnosis is made by bacteriological culture on selective/non-selective culture media and laboratory identification |
| GWU Requirements | Report all incidents to the Office of Risk Management as well as the Office of Research Safety (ORS) IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE OCCURRENCE. |
| Containment | |
|---|---|
| BSL-2 | Risk Group 3 classification is applied to P. aeruginosa. This risk group applies to the genus as a whole, and may not apply to every species within the genus. BSL-2 practices and procedures, containment equipment, and facilities are recommended for non-aerosol-producing manipulations of clinical specimens. |
| ABSL-2 | Animal studies using infected specimens should be performed in ABSL-2 settings. |
| Spill Procedures | |
|---|---|
| Small Spills (<1 liter) | If the spill occurred inside a biological safety cabinet, close the sash and allow the cabinet to operate for 15 minutes before continuing with the spill cleanup.
Pseudomonas can be aerosolized and contaminate surrounding surfaces, caution should be taken during a spill outside of a BSC. Leave the room immediately and allow the aerosols to dissipate for 15 minutes. Notify others working in the lab. Don appropriate PPE. Cover area of the spill with paper towels or any absorbent material and apply an EPA registered disinfectant effective against the bacteria (bleach, ethanol, glutaraldehyde), working from the perimeter towards the center. Allow 30 minutes of contact time before disposal and cleanup of spill materials. |
| Large Spills | Alert lab personnel in the laboratory to the spill and keep people out of the area to prevent spread of the contamination. Check if you have been contaminated or if any of your PPE has been breached. If so follow exposure procedures. Remove any contaminated clothing and place it the biohazard waste. Wash your hands and post a sign on the door. Notify your supervisor of the incident and call ORS (4-8258) for assistance. If the situation involves an imminently life-threatening injury or has catastrophic potential, call 911. |
| Exposure Procedures | |
|---|---|
| Mucus Membrane | Flush eyes, mouth or nose for 15 minutes at eyewash station. |
| Other Exposure | For an area not protected by skin, wash with soap and water for 15 minutes (open wounds, sores, etc.) |
| Reporting | Report ALL injuries to the PI immediately and reported to the Office of Risk Management at [email protected] IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE OCCURRENCE. Exposures that involve a bloodborne-pathogen or recombinant DNA also need to be reported to the Office of Research Safety at [email protected]. If the injury requires immediate medical attention, call GWPD at 202-994-6111 or call 911. |
| Medical Monitoring | Seek immediate medical evaluation, treatment, and post exposure follow-up at the Employee Health Office at GWU Hospital (900 23rd St., NW, Suite G-1090, Phone: 202-715-4275). Students should go to the Students Health Office at Marvin Center. After hours treatment can be received at the GWU hospital emergency room. |
| Stability | |
|---|---|
| Disinfection | Susceptible to 1% sodium hypochlorite, 70% ethanol, 2% glutaraldehyde, 2% formaldehyde. Alcohol containing disinfectants recommended for resistant strains. Important Note: Organism has ability to form biofilms on moist environmental surfaces and approach resistance of bacterial spores to disinfectants. |
| Inactivation | Inactivated by moist heat and dry heat. Moist heat (121°C for at least 15 minutes). Dry heat (160-170°C for at least an hour). |
| Survival Outside Host | Pseudomonas can survive for months on dry surfaces and inanimate objects, and are one of the bacteria most frequently isolated from patients with nosocomial infections; humidity can improve persistence. Growth observed in distilled water can survive up to months with minimal nutrients. |
| Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) | |
|---|---|
| Minimum PPE Requirements | At minimum, personnel are required to don gloves, closed toed shoes, lab coat, and appropriate face and eye protection prior to working with Pseudomonas. Additional PPE may be required depending on lab specific SOPs. Higher containment levels will require donning scrubs and wearing respiratory protection. |
| Additional Precautions | Additional protection may be worn over laboratory clothing when infectious materials are directly handled, such as solid-front gowns with tight fitting wrists, gloves, and respiratory protection. Wash hands with soap and water after removing gloves. |
| References | |
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