Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an emerging global Gram-negative multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogen that is commonly associated with respiratory infections in humans. It can cause various serious infections, including bacteremia, biliary sepsis, and infections of the bones and joints, urinary tract, and soft tissues. This review focuses on the strategies used or being developed to treat infections caused by S. maltophilia, the cellular and molecular mechanisms important for its survival, persistence, and pathogenesis, and its multiple antibiotic resistance. It also provides a comparison of clinical and environmental S. maltophilia isolates.
S. maltophilia was first isolated in 1943 as Bacterium bookeri and later named Pseudomonas maltophilia. It was later reclassified as Xanthomonas maltophilia. S. maltophilia is not a highly virulent pathogen but has emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen associated with crude mortality rates ranging from 14 to 69% in patients with bacteremia. It has been isolated from various environmental sources, including soils, plant roots, animals, water treatment systems, and hospital surfaces. S. maltophilia can adhere to plastics and form biofilms, which contribute to its persistence and survival in the environment.
S. maltophilia is an environmental MDR organism that has been isolated from various sources, including hospital and clinical settings. It has been recovered from soils, plant roots, animals, water treatment systems, and hospital surfaces. S. maltophilia can cause a variety of infections, including respiratory tract infections, bacteremia, biliary sepsis, and infections of the bones and joints, urinary tract, and soft tissues. It is a significant pathogen in cancer patients, particularly those with obstructive lung cancer.
S. maltophilia is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, motile, and obligate aerobe that can persist in nutrient-poor aqueous environments. It is resistant to a broad array of antibiotics, including TMP-SMX, β-lactam antibiotics, macrolides, cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, carbapenems, chloramphenicol, tetracyclines, and polymyxins. The low membrane permeability and the presence of chromosomally encoded multidrug resistance efflux pumps contribute to its intrinsic antibiotic resistance.
The treatment of S. maltophilia infections has been challenging due to its multiple antibiotic resistance. The preferred treatment has been the use of the bacteriostatic compound TMP-SMX. However, the emergence of resistance to TMP-SMX is forcing physicians to consider alternatives. New treatment strategies have included the use of select antibiotics in synergy. Using the checkerboard method, some synergism has been observed between tigecycline and TMP-SMX, and between tigecycline and amikacin against S. maltophilia. In vitro pharmacodynamic model results revealedStenotrophomonas maltophilia is an emerging global Gram-negative multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogen that is commonly associated with respiratory infections in humans. It can cause various serious infections, including bacteremia, biliary sepsis, and infections of the bones and joints, urinary tract, and soft tissues. This review focuses on the strategies used or being developed to treat infections caused by S. maltophilia, the cellular and molecular mechanisms important for its survival, persistence, and pathogenesis, and its multiple antibiotic resistance. It also provides a comparison of clinical and environmental S. maltophilia isolates.
S. maltophilia was first isolated in 1943 as Bacterium bookeri and later named Pseudomonas maltophilia. It was later reclassified as Xanthomonas maltophilia. S. maltophilia is not a highly virulent pathogen but has emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen associated with crude mortality rates ranging from 14 to 69% in patients with bacteremia. It has been isolated from various environmental sources, including soils, plant roots, animals, water treatment systems, and hospital surfaces. S. maltophilia can adhere to plastics and form biofilms, which contribute to its persistence and survival in the environment.
S. maltophilia is an environmental MDR organism that has been isolated from various sources, including hospital and clinical settings. It has been recovered from soils, plant roots, animals, water treatment systems, and hospital surfaces. S. maltophilia can cause a variety of infections, including respiratory tract infections, bacteremia, biliary sepsis, and infections of the bones and joints, urinary tract, and soft tissues. It is a significant pathogen in cancer patients, particularly those with obstructive lung cancer.
S. maltophilia is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, motile, and obligate aerobe that can persist in nutrient-poor aqueous environments. It is resistant to a broad array of antibiotics, including TMP-SMX, β-lactam antibiotics, macrolides, cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, carbapenems, chloramphenicol, tetracyclines, and polymyxins. The low membrane permeability and the presence of chromosomally encoded multidrug resistance efflux pumps contribute to its intrinsic antibiotic resistance.
The treatment of S. maltophilia infections has been challenging due to its multiple antibiotic resistance. The preferred treatment has been the use of the bacteriostatic compound TMP-SMX. However, the emergence of resistance to TMP-SMX is forcing physicians to consider alternatives. New treatment strategies have included the use of select antibiotics in synergy. Using the checkerboard method, some synergism has been observed between tigecycline and TMP-SMX, and between tigecycline and amikacin against S. maltophilia. In vitro pharmacodynamic model results revealed