Pseudomonas aeruginosa cross-colonization and persistence in patients with cystic fibrosis. Use of a DNA probe.
To investigate cross-colonization with and persistence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis (CF), 181 isolates from 76 CF patients were typed using a P. aeruginosa-specific DNA probe. Whereas sibling pairs predominantly harboured genotypically identical P. aeruginosa strains, all of the other patients harboured different strains. Seventy-nine per cent (22/31) of the infected CF patients harboured the same strains at the beginning and the end of a summer camp. A change of strains was seen in 10% (3/31) of the patients at the end of the camp. Forty-six per cent (6/13) of the patients who were apparently initially uninfected, acquired P. aeruginosa by the end of the period. Genotyping proved that strain change or acquisition was due to cross-colonization in four of nine cases. Very little P. aeruginosa was isolated from the inanimate environment. Persistence of P. aeruginosa after a temporary loss due to antibiotic therapy was seen in 12/16 paired patient strains before and after antibiotic therapy. Thus, suppression followed a flare-up seemed to occur in these patients rather than eradication and a new infection. When 35 patients were followed over a period of 6 months, 7 (20%) changed the strain in their sputum. Only one of 43 patients harboured two different P. aeruginosa strains simultaneously over a long period.
Wolz
C
C
Hygiene Institute, University of Tübingen, Federal Republic of Germany.
Kiosz
G
G
Ogle
J W
JW
Vasil
M L
ML
Schaad
U
U
Botzenhart
K
K
Döring
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications*; D015342:DNA Probes; D005192:Family Health; D005838:Genotype; D005860:Germany, West; D006801:Humans; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D015342:DNA Probes