Pseudomonas colonization in cystic fibrosis. A study of 160 patients.

We investigated the role of Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization in the respiratory tracts 
of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients to relate the effect of this 
colonization to progression of bronchial airway pathologic conditions and to the 
patients' clinical progress, and to identify predisposing factors to persistence of 
P aeruginosa colonization and bronchial tree damage. Half of 160 CF 
patients studied had persistent P aeruginosa respiratory tract colonization; the other 
half had none. Pseudomonas aeruginosa seems to have an exclusive propensity 
for the respiratory tract and may appear at any age. Treatment 
with antibiotics, including aminoglycosides, failed to eradicate P aeruginosa. The continuous 
use of antibiotics seemed to contribute to the persistence of P 
aeruginosa and the appearance of mucoid strains of P aeruginosa. 