Burkholderia cepacia complex
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Burkholderia cepacia complex or simply Burkholderia cepacia is a group of catalase-producing, non-lactose-fermenting Gram-negative bacteria composed of at least seven different species, including Burkholderia multivorans, Burkholderia vietnamiensis, Burkholderia stabilis, and Burkholderia ambifaria. Burkholderia cepacia is an important human pathogen which most often causes pneumonia in people with underlying lung disease (such as cystic fibrosis or immune problems (such as (chronic granulomatous disease).
Burkholderia cepacia is typically found in water and soil and can survive for prolonged periods in moist environments. Person-to-person spread has been documented; as a result, many hospitals, clinics, and camps for patients with cystic fibrosis have enacted strict isolation precautions Burkholderia cepacia. Individuals with the bacteria are often treated in a separate area than those without to limit spread. This is because infection with Burkholderia cepacia can lead to a rapid decline in lung function that results in death.
Diagnosis of Burkholderia cepacia involves isolation of the bacteria from sputum cultures. Treatment is difficult because Burkholderia cepacia is naturally resistant to many common antibiotics including aminoglycosides (such as tobramycin) and polymixin B. Treatment typically includes multiple antibiotics and may include ceftazidime, doxycycline, piperacillin, chloramphenicol, and co-trimoxazole.
Burkholderia cepacia was discovered by Walter Burkholder in 1949, and first described as a human pathogen in the 1950s. In the 1980s, it was first recognized in individuals with cystic fibrosis and outbreaks were associated with a 35% death rate. Burkholderia cepacia has a large genome, containing twice the amount of genetic material as Escherichia coli.
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