PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA BACTEREMIA

WITHIN recent months a case of Pseudomonas aeruginosa septicemia, with fatal termination, in a 6 month old infant has aroused interest in the subject. Reviews of the literature on this disease have appeared from time to time, but none has been found which assembles all the reported cases of Ps. aeruginosa bacteremia. The present article attempts to bring together all the published reports to date, with a table summarizing the data on the apparent source of infection, i.e., the most likely underlying condition affording a portal of entry to Ps. aeruginosa, with subsequent bacteremia. In some instances the organism was undoubtedly present as a secondary invader in an already damaged site. In other instances it seems probable that Ps. aeruginosa was the initial offending agent. Discussion will be directed principally toward the pediatric aspects of the problem of Ps. aeruginosa bacteremia. The first 57 reports1include only those