Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen (Williams, 2010) that almost invariably infects immunocompromised individuals, particularly patients with cystic fibrosis (Hauser et al., 2011). Onset results in chronic lung infection that correlates with decreased lung function and impaired survival (Hauser et al., 2011). Susceptibility to P. aeruginosa is increased by particular mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance receptor (CFTR), leading to the accumulation of thick mucus on the surface of epithelial cells, which impairs clearance of this pathogen (Buchanan et al., 2009). . Recently, the rapid emergence of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa strains has led to increased morbidity and mortality in susceptible populations. This highlighted the need for new therapies for the treatment of P. aeruginosa infections (Yang et al., 2011). Current studies suggesting that P. aeruginosa has the ability to reside in host cells and evade immune responses have emphasized the role of autophagy in this chronic infection (Garcia-Medina et al., 2005). . Autophagy is an intracellular process that releases cells from the cytoplasm. components of the autophagosome and lysosome for degradation (Cuervo et al., 2004), a crucial homeostasis mechanism involved in many physiological and pathological conditions (Klionsky, 2005). Over the past decade, autophagy has become a central component of the innate and adaptive immune response. Autophagy plays a role in antigen presentation, including cross-presentation, direct and indirect killing of intracellular and extracellular pathogens, generation of bactericidal peptides, and regulation of inflammatory responses (Lin et al., 2012 and Deretic, 2012).A recent study... ... middle of paper ...... ore, ExoS allows P. aeruginosa to avoid the acidified compartments of epithelial cells, thereby promoting survival. Since the underlying mechanism of elimination of P. aeruginosa by rapamycin is still unknown, Junkins et al. suggests the possibility that ExoS activity may be partially overcome by this pharmacological therapy. However, further work is still needed to determine whether pharmacological induction of autophagy will be equally effective in combating established P. aeruginosa infections (Junkins et al., 2014). Landmark discoveries in the field of autophagy demonstrate its role in the pathogenesis of opportunistic infections. , particularly P. aeruginosa in patients with cystic fibrosis. These data identify a new therapeutic target to aid in the treatment and elimination of these infections that would otherwise lead to increased morbidity and mortality of these patients...