Incidence of common pyocin types of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic airways diseases

We sought evidence to determine if particular strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa have a predilection for pulmonary colonisation in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The incidence of common pyocin types in non-CF isolates (74%) was similar to that noted in previous reports but differed significantly (X2 = 16.7, p less than 0.001) from the incidence of 40% observed in CF isolates. A retrospective analysis of respiratory isolates also indicated a relatively low incidence of common pyocin types (44%) in isolates from non-CF patients with chronic airways diseases and this incidence also differed significantly from that observed (73%) in other respiratory isolates from patients in the same hospital. These observations suggest that a subpopulation of P. aeruginosa exists which has a predilection for pulmonary colonisation in CF and other chronic pulmonary diseases and may assist in identification of factors affecting bacterial colonisation.