2 research outputs found
Infection with Burkholderia cepacia complex genomovars in patients with cystic fibrosis: Virulent transmissible strains of genomovar III can replace Burkholderia multivorans
Infection with Burkholderia cepacia complex in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) results in highly variable
clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are genomovar-specific disparities in
transmission and disease severity. B. cepacia complex was recovered from 62 patients with CF on ?1 occasions
(genomovar III, 46 patients; genomovar II [B. multivorans], 19 patients; genomovar IV [B. stabilis], 1 patient;
genomovar V [B. vietnamiensis], 1 patient; and an unclassified B. cepacia complex strain, 1 patient). Patientto-
patient spread was observed with B. cepacia genomovar III, but not with B. multivorans. Genomovar III
strains replaced B. multivorans in 6 patients. Genomovar III strains were also associated with a poor clinical
course and high mortality. Infection control practices should be designed with knowledge about B. cepacia
complex genomovar status; patients infected with transmissible genomovar III strains should not be cohorted
with patients infected with B. multivorans and other B. cepacia genomovars