Infection with Bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis Diagnostics Possibilities and Clinical Outcomes of a Three-Year Study

Overview

Cystic fibrosis is a serious genetically determined disease with the frequency of 1:
2500 to 3500 live born children in our population. This multi-organ disease affects especially respiratory and gastrointestinal tract. The respiratory defect with participation of a severe infection is the main cause of progressive respiratory failure and premature death. The main severe pathogens include Pseudomonas aeruginosa and bacteria of the Burkholderia cepacia complex. Early detection of this infection helps to postpone chronic infection and identification of highly communicable, epidemic strains helps to introduce targeted anti-epidemic measures, which prevent the transfer of infection among patients and decrease incidence of new infections. The introduction of precise diagnosis based on PCR methods became the landmark of diagnostics of the Burkholderia cepacia complex. The importance of this method is lower in the diagnostics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection due to a less precise detection. The authors draw attention to timely detection and therapy of intection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa based on regular cultures combined with PCR detection (optimally in monthly intervals) together with examination of anti Pseudomonas aeruginosa antibodies.

Key words:
cystic fibrosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia cepacia complex, PCR diagnostics, antibodies against Pseudomonas aeruginosa