EVADE

Getting around P. aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most important pathogens for critically ill patients treated in intensive-care units (ICUs). It is intrinsically resistant to many antibiotics and has a remarkable capacity to acquire novel resistance mechanisms. Acquisition can occur either due to mutations under direct antibiotic pressure. Or through horizontal gene transfer of resistance genes. Especially threatening are carbapenem‐resistant variants of P. aeruginosa. The mechanisms and transmission pathways underlying the success of these clones are far from understood. Furthermore, P. aeruginosa has well‐characterized virulence factors, such as PsI and PcrV toxins.

Antibodies as prevention strategy

Historically there are a small number of new antibiotics in the pipeline to treat infections caused by multidrug resistant P. aeruginosa. Protection against virulence factors and toxins offers a novel potential infection prevention strategy. In fact, monoclonal antibodies are increasingly being tested as an adjuvant therapy for hospital‐acquired infections. Based on ground-breaking studies, the first antibody‐based therapeutic options for multidrug resistant P. aeruginosa infections have recently been clinically evaluated.