THE MULTIPLE FACES OF BURKHOLDERIA-CEPACI A

Citation
C. Segonds et al., THE MULTIPLE FACES OF BURKHOLDERIA-CEPACI A, Medecine et maladies infectieuses, 28, 1998, pp. 72-78
Citations number
53
Categorie Soggetti
Infectious Diseases
ISSN journal
0399077X
Volume
28
Year of publication
1998
Pages
72 - 78
Database
ISI
SICI code
0399-077X(1998)28:<72:TMFOBA>2.0.ZU;2-6
Abstract
Burkholderia (Pseudomonas) cepacia, a phytopathogen and a potential ag ent for biological control because of its antimicrobial and degradativ e properties, has emerged as a multiresistant human opportunistic orga nism. The rate of nosocomial infections is low, nevertheless outbreaks due to contaminated solutions or materials are regularly reported. Pu lmonary colonizations or infections are a major concern for patients w ith cystic fibrosis (CF), due to the occurrence in approximately 20 % of colonized patients of the ''cepacia syndrome'', a rapidly fatal nec rotizing pneumonia sometimes associated with septicemia. Moreover, per son-to-person transmissibility of some clones is described, such as th e ET12 strain in Canada and in the United Kingdom. in France, the prev alence of B. cepacia in patients with CF is close to 3 %, with an unev en distribution of cases among CF centers. Genotype analyses have lead to the identification of five epidemic clones, one of which is ubiqui tous. The biological diagnosis requires the use of selective media and adequate incubation procedures. Epidemiological investigations are fa cilitated by the recent development of rapid PCR typing tools. Questio ns are still raised as to: taxonomy (since subgroups and even new spec ies have been recently described within the cepacia group), pathogenic ity (the characterization of virulence and transmissibility factors is required for a better understanding of the infectious potential of th is organism), epidemiology (the relations between environmental and cl inical isolates need clarification).