Epidemiology of antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Implications for empiric and definitive therapy.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the major pathogens causing hospital-acquired infections. It can easily develop antibiotic resistance through chromosomal mutations or by horizontal acquisition of resistant determinants. The increasing prevalence of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) or extensively-drug-resistant (XDR) P. aeruginosa isolates is associated with the dissemination of the so-called high-risk-clones, such as ST175. Infections caused by MDR/XDR are a cause of concern as they compromise the selection of appropriate empiric and definitive antimicrobial treatments. Introduction of new antibiotics with potent activity against MDR/XDR P. aeruginosa opens new horizons in the treatment of these infections.