Pseudomonas UTI strains found in Gulf Coast samples, study says
University of South Alabama researchers found unknown Pseudomonas strains and antibiotic resistance in Gulf Coast UTI samples.
By Priya Raghavan · Science Reporter
3 min read
University of South Alabama researchers say previously unknown Pseudomonas UTI strains appeared in patient samples from a Gulf Coast health system, raising questions about a less-studied cause of urinary tract infections. The study, published in mSphere, found that Pseudomonas aeruginosa made up about 4% of local UTI cases, close to twice the published national estimate cited by the researchers.
The work was led by Allyson Shea, an assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine, according to the University of South Alabama. Rachel Fleck, an incoming first-year medical student, was the study’s first author.
Most urinary tract infections are caused by Escherichia coli, according to Shea, but P. aeruginosa has drawn less attention in UTI research. She said much of the existing knowledge about Pseudomonas disease comes from lung and wound infection studies, while the urinary tract presents a different environment for bacteria.
What did researchers find in the Pseudomonas UTI samples?
The team studied 55 bacterial samples from patients with urinary tract infections, according to the university. Researchers examined the bacteria’s genetic differences, disease-related traits and responses to antibiotics.
One major finding was genetic diversity that had not been described before. Shea said many isolates from the local patient population did not match known sequence types, suggesting that urinary P. aeruginosa remains poorly characterized.
The researchers also reported links between some bacterial strains and patient groups. According to the study summary, one strain showed up more often in patients with urinary catheters, while another was tied to diabetes.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterium that can cause infections in different parts of the body. In urinary tract infections, the study suggests it may be a more common contributor in the examined Gulf Coast health system than national figures would imply.
How serious was the antibiotic resistance?
The study found that nearly one-third of the P. aeruginosa isolates were resistant to levofloxacin, an antibiotic commonly used to treat infections, according to the university. Several strains were resistant to multiple antibiotics, a pattern the researchers said can make infections harder to treat.
The findings do not immediately change patient care, Shea said. She described the work as a starting point for understanding how P. aeruginosa strains develop and persist in the urinary tract.
Why are Pseudomonas UTIs more common on the Gulf Coast?
Researchers do not yet know why the study found a higher regional share of P. aeruginosa UTIs than national estimates. Shea said the explanation could involve multiple factors, including climate, the patient population, health care-associated exposures and underlying medical conditions.
Shea said larger epidemiological studies would be needed to determine which factors may explain the difference. The current study establishes that the Gulf Coast samples included previously unrecognized strains and measurable resistance patterns, but it does not identify the cause of the higher local prevalence.
The paper, “Emerging pathogens in urinary tract infections: virulence and phenotypic characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains,” was published in 2026 in mSphere.
This story draws on original reporting from Medical Xpress.