Observations on the intestinal carriage of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Abstract

Summary Intestinal contents obtained at necropsy from 100 patients, 99 of whom died while in hospital, were examined for Ps. aeruginosa. The contents were taken from four sites; the organism was isolated from all sites in eight patients. The over-all carriage rate was 36 per cent., but the rate was increased to 43-2 per cent, if oral antibiotics had been administered, and to 52-6 per cent, if gastro-intestinal surgery had been performed. Ps. aeruginosa was isolated from the faeces of 13-6 per cent. of 103 out-patients, 18-3 per cent. of 240 in-patients and 4 per cent. of 50 normal persons, and from 73 per cent. of 108 ileostomy fluid specimens. The sampling method for detecting intestinal carriers of Ps. aeruginosa is discussed.