Vaccine development and passive immunization for Pseudomonas aeruginosa in critically ill patients: a clinical update

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most common causes of nosocomial infection in intensive care unit patients and is independently associated with worse outcomes. Resistance of P. aeruginosa to antimicrobial agents is increasingly common and treatment of these infections is a growing challenge for intensivists. The development of methods to prevent infection, such as vaccines, is thus of considerable interest. Three agents currently show promise in this population of patients and are undergoing clinical evaluation; however, further vaccine targets are being discovered and more potential agents will likely be developed in the near future.