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Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram negative opportunistic pathogen producing ex-otoxin, the most lethal one among the pseudomonal toxins. In this study, 257 clinical isolates (pus, sputum, wound discharge, urine, etc.) and 19 environmental isolates (cleaning apparatuses, dressing instruments, sink & sewages, etc.) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were tested for in vitro exotoxin production using Ouchterlony gel diffu-sion assay. It was found that 197 (76.7%) of the clinical isolates and 14 (73.7%) of the environmental isolates tested produce the exotoxin. Serologically, 212 (82.5%) of the clinical isolates belonged to serogroups, B, E, G, A, and not typable group. In contrast, only 3 (16%) of the environmental isolates belonged to those groups. The rate of exotoxin production was increased in serogroups A (86%) and F (87%) but decreased in serogroups C (67%) and I (57%). Comparing according to the sources of isolation, also the rate of exotoxin production was decreased in isolates from nasal discharges (47.4%) and urine (67.7%).
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