Pseudomonas aeruginosa in wound infections: Genomic characterization and emergence of hypervirulent ST1965/ST3418 strains co-harbouring exoU and exoS
Objective: To investigate the phenotype and genotype characteristics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from wound infections. Methods: Seventy-six P. aeruginosa strains isolated from wound infections in a university hospital were analysed. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, biofilm formation ass...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213716525001122 |
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| Summary: | Objective: To investigate the phenotype and genotype characteristics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from wound infections. Methods: Seventy-six P. aeruginosa strains isolated from wound infections in a university hospital were analysed. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, biofilm formation assays, and whole-genome sequencing were performed on all strains. The virulence of potential hypervirulent strains was assessed using a Galleria mellonella infection model. Results: Among the 76 tested strains, 49 (64.5%) were susceptible to all tested antibiotics. The β-lactamase-encoding gene positivity rate was 57.9%, while the OprD gene mutation rate was 1.3%. All isolates were classified into 56 distinct multilocus sequence types. Serotype distribution revealed O11 (22.37%, 17/76), O16 (19.74%, 15/76), and O1 (18.42%, 14/76) as the most prevalent. The exoU gene was predominantly associated with serotype O11. Over 80% of strains harboured biofilm-related virulence genes, and all exhibited strong biofilm-forming capacity. Six exoU+/exoS+ strains (serotype O4) were identified, with ST1965 and ST3418 demonstrating potential hypervirulence in the infection model. Conclusions: P. aeruginosa isolates from wound infections displayed sporadic genomic profiles, high antibiotic susceptibility, and robust biofilm formation. The emergence of exoU+/exoS+ hypervirulent clones (ST1965 and ST3418), characterized by enhanced virulence and biofilm production, highlights their potential to cause treatment-refractory infections and severe clinical outcomes. Continuous surveillance and tailored therapeutic approaches are imperative for managing infections caused by these clones. |
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| ISSN: | 2213-7165 |