What Your Child's Vomiting May Mean
What Is Pseudomonas Aeruginosa?
Pseudomonasis a type of bacteria that's commonly found outdoors, such as in soil and water. It can also thrive in moist places indoors. Some types of this germ, especially Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. Aeruginosa), can infect you and make you really sick.
If you're in good health, you probably don't have to worry about getting severely ill from a pseudomonas infection. You may only get a mild skin rash or an ear or eye infection. Or you may have already had a pseudomonas infection and didn't realize it. For instance, Pseudomonas aeruginosa can cause swimmer's ear and skin rashes from hot tubs.
But if you're sick or your immune system is weakened, pseudomonas can cause a severe infection that doesn't always respond well to antibiotic treatment. In some people, it can be life-threatening. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most common and serious infections people get from being in the hospital.
You can get a pseudomonas infection in several different ways. It can grow on fruits and vegetables, so you could get sick from eating contaminated food. It also thrives in wet areas such as lakes, pools, hot tubs, bathrooms, kitchens, and sinks.
The most severe infections occur in health care settings, such as hospitals. Pseudomonas aeruginosa can easily grow in humidifiers and types of medical equipment (catheters, for instance) if they aren't properly cleaned. If health care workers don't wash their hands well, they can also transfer the bacteria from an infected patient to you.
Your risk of apseudomonas infection is higher if you:
Other surprising places pseudomonasbacteria can be found include:
In hospitals, Pseudomonas aeruginosa can turn up in areas such as:
The signs of infection depend on where the Pseudomonas aeruginosa is in your body. It can infect any part, from your fingernails to your blood, lungs, stomach, urinary tract, or tendons. Pressure sores, wounds, and burns can also become infected.
Places where infection occurs and their signs include:
Fever is also often a sign of a severe pseudomonas infection.
In some cases, your doctor may suspect a pseudomonas infection by hearing about your symptoms and doing a physical exam — for instance, looking at your skin or eyes. They can take a sample of your blood or another body fluid and send it to a lab to confirm their hunch. They could also order an imaging test, such as an X-ray, MRI, or ultrasound, to look for signs of infection deep inside your body.
Test results can help them decide which types of antibiotics will work best to cure your infection.
If you have a mild infection, your doctor can prescribe a course of antibiotics. Depending on where your infection is in your body, this medicine could be in the form of a cream, eye drops, ear drops, or pills you take by mouth.
A severe infection may require weeks of antibiotics that could be given through an IV. Every pseudomonas bacteria is slightly different, and strains are constantly changing, so these types of infections can be hard to treat. Many times, you may need to take more than one kind of antibiotic to get rid of Pseudomonas aeruginosa for good.
More recently, scientists have found that bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, may be useful for Pseudomonas aeruginosa treatment. Early research in labs (but not yet in humans) shows that these bacteriophages could offer a few possible solutions:
There's also some research on plant-derived compounds to treat these types of infection. It suggests that some compounds could disrupt biofilms, which protect the bacteria and lead to resistance. Medical grade Manuka honey has shown some promise to disrupt biofilms in wounds. But more research is needed, and efforts to combat Pseudomonas aeruginosa are mostly focused on other possible solutions.
It can be. One type of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, called carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CP-CRPA), makes special proteins that prevent most available antibiotics from working. That includes carbapenems, powerful antibiotics which are prescribed when no other treatment has worked.
CP-CRPA is also able to share its genetic code with other bacteria, kind of like sharing answers to a test with other classmates so they can cheat, too. That can spread antibiotic resistance.
The WHO has identified CP-CRPA as a high priority to address, and the CDC lists it as a serious public health threat.
For now, CP-CRPA is not common in the U.S. But your risk for it is higher if you:
Issues that can arise from this type of infection include:
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and cystic fibrosis (CF)
If you have CF, you may be prone to recurring lung infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Once you get infected, it can be hard to get rid of this bacteria completely. P. Aeruginosa is also linked to a decline in lung function in people with CF. Getting diagnosed and starting treatment right away will be key.
Studies show that one way you can get sick is by coming into close contact with someone who's infected, although neither of you may know.
You can lower your risk of getting sick by trying not to come into contact with this type of bacteria. The good news is that it's simpler than you might think. For instance, you can:
Wash your hands often. This is the best way to avoid getting pseudomonas. If you're in the hospital, make sure that doctors and nurses always clean their hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before touching you.
Rinse fruits and vegetables before eating. Even salad greens should be given a good wash. You can also use a fruit/vegetable wash.
Clean your water bottles. Sterilize with boiling water between each use.
Regularly wash your sheets and towels. Use hot water to kill most of the germs.
Try to cut back on tobacco. Smoking makes it harder for your lungs to ward off germs. If you need help quitting, ask your doctor for advice.
Regularly clean high-touch surfaces in your home. That includes anything that multiple people often touch, including sink faucets, toilet handles, and light switches. Don't forget to also clean your phone and laptop and other screens with an alcohol-based wipe that's safe for electronics.
Avoid unclean pools and hot tubs. Pseudomonas will thrive in them unless they're cleaned often, and the chlorine and pH are well-controlled.
Ask questions about your medical care. Talk to your doctor if you have worries about getting infected. Ask about the medical equipment you're using — for instance, how often it's cleaned or how you need to care for it at home.
Take care of your health. If your doctor has prescribed medicine to manage a health condition, take it exactly as prescribed. Don't skip a dose. After surgery, be on the lookout for signs of infection. If you run a fever, have pain, or see redness or discharge at your surgery site, call your doctor right away.
If your infection is mild, you may not even know you've come into contact with P. Aeruginosa. You may not show any symptoms or need treatment. Your immune system could manage to get rid of the bacteria without any extra help.
If you do have symptoms but are otherwise healthy, antibiotics can often clear a Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. But it will be important to follow your doctor's instructions exactly. If not, the bacteria could become more resistant and harder to treat.
Simple cases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa can start improving within a few days, while more severe infections may take weeks or months to go away completely.
By some accounts, about 39%-82% of people who have been diagnosed with a Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection will recover.
It's extremely hard for people with cystic fibrosis to beat the infection, and it is the leading cause of death for people with the disease.
P. Aeruginosa is a common strain of bacteria that's found outdoors but can sometimes get inside your body and cause an infection. The symptoms it causes will depend on where in your body it is. If you're in good health and your infection is simple, antibiotics can usually clear up Pseudomonas aeruginosa. But severe cases can be resistant to treatment and lead to serious, and sometimes life-threatening, complications.
Can Pseudomonas aeruginosa be sexually transmitted?
It's not a sexually transmitted infection (STI). But if you have sex in a hot tub or pool that's contaminated with P. Aeruginosa, it's possible that your reproductive system or urinary tract could get infected.
Is a pseudomonas infection contagious?
Yes. It can be spread through direct contact. Some people even have P. Aeruginosa living naturally on their skin, although it may not cause any symptoms. But if you're in good health, coming into contact with it this way is unlikely to cause an infection.
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Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Strong Future Potential With Key Drug Launches And Underappreciated Opportunities
Jefferies analyst Michael Yee has maintained their bullish stance on VRTX stock, giving a Buy rating today.
Stay Ahead of the Market:Michael Yee has given his Buy rating due to a combination of factors that indicate strong future potential for Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The company has witnessed a significant pullback in its stock, yet it is anticipated to outperform expectations with the launch of Vanza, a new cystic fibrosis drug. Additionally, there are low expectations for the acute pain launch, suggesting room for positive surprises.Furthermore, Yee is optimistic about the 2026 Phase 3 interim results for the AMKD kidney pill, which is currently underappreciated by investors. The upcoming year is set to focus on the launch of Vanza and the acute pain product, alongside progressing multiple pivotal studies, including Phase III trials for DPN, AMKD APOL1, and povetacicept for IgAN. These elements, representing significant revenue opportunities, underpin Yee's positive outlook on Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
In another report released today, Citi also maintained a Buy rating on the stock with a $575.00 price target.
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Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) Company Description:
Based in Massachusetts and incorporated in 1989, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Is a biopharmaceutical company, which is engaged in the development and commercializing therapies for the treatment of cystic fibrosis, infectious diseases including viral infections such as influenza and bacterial infections, autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and neurological disorders including pain and multiple sclerosis.
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