A pseudomonas infection is caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria and has a distinct feature of “blue pus” symptom. The cause of blue pus is pyocyanin, which is a pigment produced by this pathogen.
Pseudomonas bacteria can infect any part of your body and your infection symptoms will largely depend on where pseudomonas infects. However, you’ll often experience some of these general bacterial infection symptoms as well:
Some of the health conditions caused by this blue pus infection are:
- UTI
- meningitis
- pneumonia
- pharyngitis
- bacteremia
- osteomyelitis
- brain abscess
- swimmer’s ear
- infectious arthritis
- heart valve infection
- respiratory infection
- serious ear infection
- gastrointestinal infection
- burn wound infections, sepsis
- cornea infection, corneal ulcer ~ can cause blindness
- paronychia infection ~ causes green, blue fingernails
- hot tub folliculitis, dermatitis ~ may look like chickenpox
- ecthyma gangrenosum ~ distinctive skin lesions w/bacteremia
- chronic progressive pulmonary disease in those w/cystic fibrosis
- secondary infection occurring with decubitus, dermatitis, tinea pedis ~ blue pus w/fruity odor
Pseudomonas rarely causes a bacterial infection in healthy folks. It tends to infect or be associated with:
- diabetes
- leukemia
- malignancy
- major burns
- cystic fibrosis
- invasive surgery
- chronic lung disease
- history of hospitalization
- a serious health condition
- drug addict, intravenous drug abuser
- congestive heart failure, artificial heart valve
- broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment, antibiotic therapy
- weakened immune system, immunodeficiency ~ AIDs, neutropenia, immunosuppression drugs, chemotherapy
Pseudomonas bacteria is difficult to treat because it’s resistant to certain antibiotics. So blue pus infections are usually treated with two antibiotics simultaneously. In some cases, surgical removal of damaged tissue, even amputation, may be required.