Cellular responses of A549 alveolar epithelial cells to serially collected Pseudomonas aeruginosa from cystic fibrosis patients at different stages of pulmonary infection.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the major cause of chronic pulmonary disease in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. During chronic infection, P. aeruginosa lose certain virulence factors, transform into a mucoid phenotype, and develop antibiotic resistance.