Journal Article

Achromobacter xylosoxidans and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia: Emerging Pathogens Well-Armed for Life in the Cystic Fibrosis Patients’ Lung

Sorlin, Pauline, Jumas-Bilak, Estelle, Chiron, Raphaël, Menetrey, Quentin, Dupont, Chloé, Marchandin, Hélène

2021

Overview

In patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), the lung is a remarkable ecological niche in which the microbiome is subjected to important selective pressures. An inexorable colonization by bacteria of both endogenous and environmental origin is observed in most patients, leading to a vicious cycle of infection–inflammation. In this context, long-term colonization together with competitive interactions among bacteria can lead to over-inflammation. While Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, the two pathogens most frequently identified in CF, have been largely studied for adaptation to the CF lung, in the last few years, there has been a growing interest in emerging pathogens of environmental origin, namely Achromobacter xylosoxidans and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The aim of this review is to gather all the current knowledge on the major pathophysiological traits, their supporting mechanisms, regulation and evolutionary modifications involved in colonization, virulence, and competitive interactions with other members of the lung microbiota for these emerging pathogens, with all these mechanisms being major drivers of persistence in the CF lung. Currently available research on A. xylosoxidans complex and S. maltophilia shows that these emerging pathogens share important pathophysiological features with well-known CF pathogens, making them important members of the complex bacterial community living in the CF lung.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Achromobacter denitrificans / Achromobacter denitrificans - genetics / Achromobacter denitrificans - pathogenicity / Achromobacter xylosoxidans / Adaptation, Physiological / Antimicrobial agents / Bacteria / bacterial communities / Bacteriology / Colonization / Cystic Fibrosis / Cystic Fibrosis - complications / Cystic Fibrosis - microbiology / Drug resistance / Gene expression / Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - complications / Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - microbiology / Human health and pathology / Humans / Infectious diseases / Inflammation / Life Sciences / Lung / Lung - microbiology / Lungs / Microbiology and Parasitology / microbiome / Microbiomes / Microbiota / Microorganisms / Mutation / Mutation Rate / niches / Pathogens / Patients / Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Pulmonology and respiratory tract / Review / Staphylococcus aureus / Staphylococcus infections / Stenotrophomonas maltophilia / Stenotrophomonas maltophilia - genetics / Stenotrophomonas maltophilia - pathogenicity / Virulence