Abstract
A prevailing opinion is that the strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that infects both plants and humans are two separate species. This study strongly disputes that notion until the modern molecular technology proves otherwise. This paper examines a spectrum of strains occurring in nature, their habitats, dissemination, their relationship to clinical strains, and the environmental conditions that favor their colonization of plants. The isolates were obtained from clinical specimens, plants, soil, and water. The identity of these strains was confirmed using pyocin typing and biochemical assays. The data reveal that agricultural soils, potted ornamental plants, hoses, fountains, and faucets frequently harbored P. aeruginosa. However, it was not commonly found in semi-arid areas, suggesting that moisture and high humidity is necessary for colonization and survival. Though found in soil, P. aeruginosa was seldom isolated on edible plant parts. The pathogenicity of various strains on plants was tested by inoculating vegetables, lettuce slices (Lactuca sativa L. "Great Lakes"), celery stalks (Apium graveolens L. var. Dulce], potato tuber slices (Solanum tuberosum L. "Whiterose"), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L. Mill), cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), rutabaga (Brassica campestris L.), and carrot (Daucus carota L. var sativa). There was considerable variation in the strains' ability to cause rot, but no difference was observed between clinical isolates and others from agricultural fields, water, and soil. Two of the clinical isolates from burn patients, P. aeruginosa PA13 and PA14, exhibited the greatest virulence in causing rot in all the plants that were tested, especially on cucumber, lettuce, potato, and tomato. The study discusses how closely the epidemiology of P. aeruginosa relates to many plant pathogens, and the ability of human isolates to colonize plants and food material under favorable conditions. The biochemical and phenotypic similarity among strains from the clinical and agricultural material is strongly indicative that they are the same species and that plants and soil are natural reservoirs for P. aeruginosa.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
P. aeruginosa was frequently found on potted ornamental plants and several nonplant surfaces.
- Taxon
- ornamental plantse0
- Interactor
- P. aeruginosa
Pseudomonas aeruginosae0pathogen - Outcome
- frequently harbored P. aeruginosae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“agricultural soils, potted ornamental plants, hoses, fountains, and faucets frequently harbored P. aeruginosa”
Claim · model-written summary
P. aeruginosa was uncommon in semi-arid areas.
- Taxon
- ornamental plantse1
- Interactor
- P. aeruginosaPseudomonas aeruginosae1pathogen
- Outcome
- not commonly founde0
- Setting
- semi-arid arease0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“it was not commonly found in semi-arid areas”
e1“potted ornamental plants, hoses, fountains, and faucets frequently harbored P. aeruginosa”
Claim · model-written summary
P. aeruginosa was seldom isolated on edible plant parts.
- Taxon
- plante0
- Organ / stage
- edible plant partse0
- Interactor
- P. aeruginosaPseudomonas aeruginosae0pathogen
- Outcome
- seldom isolatede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“P. aeruginosa was seldom isolated on edible plant parts”
Claim · model-written summary
P. aeruginosa strains varied considerably in their ability to cause plant rot.
- Taxon
- plantsViridiplantaee1
- Interactor
- strainse0pathogen
- Outcome
- ability to cause rote0
- Direction
- considerable variatione0
Verbatim
e0“There was considerable variation in the strains' ability to cause rot”
e1“The pathogenicity of various strains on plants was tested”
Claim · model-written summary
Clinical and environmental P. aeruginosa isolates did not differ in plant rot ability.
Verbatim
e0“no difference was observed between clinical isolates and others from agricultural fields, water, and soil”
e1“The pathogenicity of various strains on plants was tested”
Claim · model-written summary
Clinical isolates PA13 and PA14 caused the greatest rot in all tested plants, especially cucumber, lettuce, potato and tomato.
Verbatim
e0“P. aeruginosa PA13 and PA14, exhibited the greatest virulence in causing rot in all the plants that were tested, especially on cucumber, lettuce, potato, and tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
Clinical and agricultural strains were biochemically and phenotypically similar, supporting plants and soil as natural P. aeruginosa reservoirs.
- Taxon
- plantsViridiplantaee0
- Interactor
- P. aeruginosaPseudomonas aeruginosae0pathogen
- Outcome
- natural reservoirs for P. aeruginosae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The biochemical and phenotypic similarity among strains from the clinical and agricultural material is strongly indicative that they are the same species and that plants and soil are natural reservoirs for P. aeruginosa”