From Cefepime to Colistin: Managing Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a Ventilator-Dependent Quadriplegic ICU Patient
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative bacterium that is commonly associated with nosocomial infections in hospitals. Due to the increasing prevalence of drug resistance, the clinical management and treatment of P. aeruginosa are becoming a significant challenge. Here, we report the case of a 21-year-old male with a history of traumatic brain injury, quadriplegia, and ventilator dependence who developed recurrent infections caused by P. aeruginosa. Over a span of nine months, the patient was diagnosed with multiple episodes of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (UTIs) requiring intensive care hospitalizations and antimicrobial therapy. Initially, the patient was treated with cefepime and vancomycin; however, due to the rapid rise of multidrug-resistant organisms, the treatment was modified several times with aminoglycosides, meropenem, aerosolized colistin, and ceftolozane/tazobactam. The patient’s case highlights the significant challenge of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa and underscores the rapid progression of disease secondary to the complexity of treating infections in critically ill patients.
Source: Cureus
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.86878
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Medicine
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4411722873