WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A recent study published in the journal Science revealed groundbreaking findings on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an environmental bacteria known for causing severe and drug-resistant infections in individuals with underlying lung conditions.
The study, led by scientists at the University of Cambridge and funded by Wellcome and the UK Cystic Fibrosis Trust, uncovered the rapid evolution and global spread of Pseudomonas aeruginosa over the past two centuries, likely due to changes in human behavior.
Through analyzing DNA data from nearly 10,000 samples obtained from infected individuals, animals, and various environments worldwide, an international team of researchers constructed phylogenetic trees, uncovering the bacteria's transformation from an environmental organism to a specialized human pathogen. Surprisingly, the study found that almost 70% of infections originated from just 21 genetic clones, which evolved rapidly by acquiring new genes from neighboring bacteria and disseminated globally.
The study also shed light on the bacteria's ability to exploit a previously unidentified immune deficiency in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF), enabling them to survive within macrophages, the cells responsible for ingesting invading organisms to prevent infection spread. This unexpected flaw in the immune systems of CF patients allows Pseudomonas aeruginosa to evade elimination after being engulfed by macrophages. Once the lungs are infected, these bacteria evolve differently to adapt to specific lung environments.
Professor Andres Floto, Director of the UK Cystic Fibrosis Innovation Hub and senior author of the study emphasized that this research has provided crucial insights into cystic fibrosis biology and potential ways to enhance immunity against invading bacteria in this and other conditions.
Floto stated that from a clinical perspective, the study highlighted significant implications for infection control in hospitals, revealing that Pseudomonas aeruginosa can spread not only among CF patients but also among other individuals. This finding underscores the need for stringent infection control measures in healthcare settings, particularly in open wards where infected individuals might come into contact with highly vulnerable patients.
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