Cross-infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a hazard of intensive surgery.

Although cross-infection has always presented serious problems, there has within recent years been an increased awareness of the growing prevalence of Gram-negative organisms, especially Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as causes of serious morbidity in the hospital environment (Finland et al., 1959; Williams et al., 1960; Barber, 1961). A variety of factors appear to have contributed to this changing pattern of hospital-acquired bacterial infections, but the extensive use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, corticosteroids, and cytotoxic and immunosuppressive drugs, and the increased susceptibility of individuals subiected to advanced and intensive surgery or medical techniques, have been of major significance. In this context, infections by Ps. aeruginosa, an organism of low pathogenicity to healthy individuals, are likely to be particularly serious and associated with a high mortality. This opportunist has an inherently high resistance to most currently available antibiotics, and many antiseptics are less active against Ps. aeruginosa than against other vegetative bacteria.