What is the Difference Between Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and Enterobacteriaceae?

Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacteriaceae are both families of gram-negative bacteria, but they have distinct differences in their characteristics and the diseases they cause.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa:

Belongs to the family Pseudomonadaceae.
Is a rod-shaped, flagellated, gram-negative bacterium.
Is a ubiquitous bacterium, meaning it is present everywhere.
Often acts as an opportunistic pathogen, causing nosocomial diseases, particularly in patients with weakened immune systems.

Enterobacteriaceae:

Belongs to a large family of gram-negative bacteria, which are non-spore forming, rod-shaped, motile, and flagellated.
Includes most common pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), Shigella, Salmonella, and Klebsiella.
Members of this family are aerobic or facultatively anaerobic, meaning they can survive in both oxygenated and non-oxygenated environments.

These differences in morphology, habitat, and pathogenicity distinguish Pseudomonas aeruginosa from Enterobacteriaceae. While both families can cause infections, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is more commonly associated with hospital-acquired infections, whereas Enterobacteriaceae are more frequently involved in community-acquired infections.

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What is the Difference Between Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and Enterobacteriaceae?

Comparative Table: Pseudomonas Aeruginosa vs Enterobacteriaceae

Here is a table comparing Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacteriaceae:

Feature	Pseudomonas aeruginosa	Enterobacteriaceae
Overview	Ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen Causes severe infections in humans, particularly in patients with cystic fibrosis, burn wounds, immunodeficiency, COPD, cancer, and severe infections requiring ventilation High intrinsic resistance to antiseptics and antibiotics due to low outer membrane permeability Lacks general diffusion porins in their outer membrane	Wide variety of bacteria, including E. coli, Salmonella, and Klebsiella Causes various infections, such as urinary tract infections, bacterial meningitis, and pneumonia
Antibiotic Resistance	More resistant to various antibacterial agents compared to Enterobacter cloacae	Generally more susceptible to antibiotics than Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Resistance Mechanisms	Produces enzymes that disrupt antibiotic activity, such as extended-spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBLs)	Resistance is often mediated by plasmids encoding enzymes and cognate efflux pumps, making it mainly plasmid-borne
Pathogenesis	Exhibits complex infections and antibiotic resistance Uses pathogenicity islands for host-pathogen interactions	Involved in various infections, but generally more sensitive to antibiotics than P. aeruginosa

Please note that the characteristics mentioned above are specific to some members of the Enterobacteriaceae group, but a comprehensive comparison is not possible due to the diverse nature of this group.

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.