ngection” Olson, 142. With this information in hand, new windows of opportunity may arise, suggesting that certain biochemical pathways or proteins within Pseudomona aeruginosa are good targets for drug development. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is difficult to overcome with antibiotics even in patients with new infections. Over time, treatment becomes progressively more difficult; this is not unique to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Attempts to produce a vaccine for Pseudomonas aeruginosa have not resulted in a high level of protection against subsequent infections. Previous studies have focused on creating immunity against a single surface element of the bacterium. There is a study going on now that is testing the feasibility of using an oral dose of an intact but weakened or attenuated strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa for vaccine development. This approach has been used in vaccine production in other diseases and has resulted in an immune response in the lung. Strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are being produced which must be supplied with certain amino acids for growth, and thus should be able to survive only under laboratory conditions. Plans are to feed these strains to mice to determine whether the bacteria can cause disease, how long the bacteria survive, and whether an immune response is generated in the lung. The long-term goal is to produce a safe vaccine for use in the individuals with cystic fibrosis. Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection is also common among persons infected with HIV. Most of the patients who developed invasive Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections were severely immunocompromised, with a mean CD4+ cell count of 31/uL and a history of lung injury. These infections often occur at multiple sited, particularly the lungs and sinuses. Since the advent of the routine use of HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy), there has been a striking decline in the incidence of invasive Pseudomonas aeruginosa disea...
