AGRICULTURAL USE OF BURKHOLDERIA (PSEUDOMONAS) CEPACIA - A THREAT TO HUMAN HEALTH

In the past 2 decades, Burkholderia cepacia has emerged as a human pat hogen causing numerous outbreaks, particularly among cystic fibrosis ( CF) patients. One highly transmissible strain has spread across North America and Britain, and another between hospitalized CF and non-CF pa tients. Meanwhile, the organism has been developed as a biopesticide f or protecting crops against fungal diseases and has potential as a bio remediation agent for breaking down recalcitrant herbicides and pestic ides. However, B. cepacia is inherently resistant to multiple antibiot ics; selection of strains ''safe'' for environmental application is no t at present possible phenotypically or genotypically; molecular epide miology and phylogenetic studies demonstrate that highly transmissible strains emerge randomly; and the organism has a capacity for rapid mu tation and adaptation (facilitated by numerous insertion sequences), a nd a large, complex genome divided into separate chromosomes. Therefor e, the widespread agricultural use of B. cepacia should be approached with caution.