Gram negative bacteria can cause infections in many parts of the body including the lung (pneumonia), urinary tract, bloodstream, skin (including burns and traumatic wounds, ulcers, and surgical sites), the brain and spinal cord (meningitis), and multiple other organs and tissues.

 

Gram-negative bacteria include many common pathogens including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and a large family of related enteric bacteria including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus mirabilis, and many others. Gram-negative bacterial infections can be as benign as Swimmer's Ear to very serious diseases such as food poisoning, meningitis, Legionnaires' disease, plague, cholera, dysentery, and sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea.

 

Infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria can be difficult to treat because of their unique features, including the nature of their cell wall which makes them resistant to several classes of antibiotics. Certain types of Gram-negative bacteria have become increasingly resistant to nearly all available antibiotic drugs. This has also increased illness and death from bacterial infections, heightened the challenge for healthcare facilities, and contributed to escalating healthcare costs.