What should you know about bronchiectasis with Pseudomonas colonisation?

Pseudomonas is a bacterium that can live in damaged or widened airways. A phlegm sample may find it even when symptoms are close to your usual pattern. Colonisation is different from an active infection, although the finding can influence how clinicians assess future flare-ups. It does not mean that you caused the problem or that every cough is an emergency.

Keep follow-up appointments and tell your respiratory team about changes in cough, mucus, fever or breathlessness. They may request repeat phlegm samples to identify the bacterium and guide treatment if symptoms worsen. Continue your prescribed airway-clearance routine and do not start, stop or share antibiotics without medical advice. A chest X-ray or spirometry may be part of the wider assessment. Read more about Bronchiectasis, Cough, Coughing Up Phlegm, Chest X-Ray and Spirometry.

Seek prompt clinical advice if your phlegm becomes more abundant or changes colour, your cough is clearly worse, or you develop fever or increasing breathlessness. Seek emergency help for severe breathing difficulty, confusion, blue or grey lips, chest pain, or coughing up a large amount of blood. Mention the known Pseudomonas result when contacting a healthcare service.

Ask whether the result represents colonisation or active infection, when a repeat phlegm sample is useful, and which symptoms should trigger same-day review. Ask how to perform airway clearance, whether your inhalers remain appropriate, and who should coordinate respiratory follow-up.