Molecular Characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Clinical Isolates Through Whole-Genome Sequencing: A Comprehensive Analysis of Biotypes, Sequence Types, and Antimicrobial and Virulence Genes

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is a bacterial species that can cause human infections, especially among debilitated patients. A study conducted at Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences in India identified nine PA strains from clinical specimens. The isolates showed similar antimicrobial susceptibility patterns with carbapenems and fluoroquinolone antibiotics, but discordant patterns were found with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, aminoglycosides, and beta-lactamase/extended-spectrum beta-lactamase. All PA isolates showed multiple antibiotic resistance and virulence genes, including aph, aad, aac, blaPDC, blaOXA, blaVIM, catB7, fosA, qnrVC1, and crpP. The study also identified ST244, a high-risk PA strain with global significance. The study suggests that PA isolation among hospitalized patients should be carefully evaluated for high-risk sequence types and resistance and virulence genes.