Exceptionally High Representation of Burkholderia cepacia among B. cepacia Complex Isolates Recovered from the Major Portuguese Cystic Fibrosis Center

Abstract

Burkholderia cepacia , a species found infrequently in cystic fibrosis (CF), was isolated from 85% of patients infected with bacteria of the B. cepacia complex that visited the major Portuguese CF center, in Lisbon, during 2003 to 2005. A detailed molecular analysis revealed that this was mainly due to two B. cepacia clones. These clones were indistinguishable from two strains isolated from intrinsically contaminated nonsterile saline solutions for nasal application, detected during routine market surveillance by the Portuguese Medicines and Health Products Authority.

Taxon K, a complex within the Burkholderia cepacia complex, comprises at least two novel species, Burkholderia contaminans sp. nov. and Burkholderia lata sp. nov.

“…Vandamme and A. Baldwin, unpublished data). Moreover, several cases of epidemic transmission of taxon K strains among cystic fibrosis patients have been reported (Campana et al, 2005;Cunha et al, 2007). The wholegenome sequences of two taxon K strains, namely Burkholderia sp.…”

SNaPBceBcon : a Practical Tool for Identification and Genotyping of Burkholderia cepacia and Burkholderia contaminans

“…The epidemiological surveillance of Bcc bacteria in respiratory infections at the major Portuguese CF center of Hospital de Santa Maria (HSM), in Lisbon, identified an exceptionally high representation of B. cepacia species isolates. This fact was attributed to contamination of saline solutions for nasal application (24). Recently, after reexamination of the B. cepacia clinical isolates from the Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico (iBB/IST) collection, isolates of the recA RFLP type K, formerly classified as B. cepacia species (24,25), and some additional isolates were classified as B. contaminans (17).…”

“…A total of 108 isolates of B. cepacia (n ϭ 83) and B. contaminans (n ϭ 25), obtained at the Portuguese CF treatment center at HSM, in Lisbon, including 35 isolates obtained from contaminated nonsterile saline solutions for nasal application, were used in this study (Table 1) (17,24,25). The isolates had been obtained during the past 2 decades and were characterized molecularly at the iBB/ IST by sequencing analyses of the recA gene (17,(24)(25)(26)(27).…”

Structure of Burkholderia cepacia UDP-Glucose Dehydrogenase (UGD) BceC and Role of Tyr10 in Final Hydrolysis of UGD Thioester Intermediate

“…In general, B. cenocepacia predominates, followed by Burkholderia multivorans (2,4,5,31,33,44). However, the species B. cepacia, found infrequently in CF patients worldwide, has an exceptionally high representation among the BCC isolates in Portugal, accounting for one-half of the number of the isolates retrieved from 1995 to 2006 (12). Intrinsically contaminated saline solutions for nasal application and the environment are likely sources for B. cepacia infection (12).…”

“…However, the species B. cepacia, found infrequently in CF patients worldwide, has an exceptionally high representation among the BCC isolates in Portugal, accounting for one-half of the number of the isolates retrieved from 1995 to 2006 (12). Intrinsically contaminated saline solutions for nasal application and the environment are likely sources for B. cepacia infection (12). During the epidemiological survey carried out in Portugal, it was found that B. cepacia isolates may also be involved in the progressive deterioration of the CF lung during persistent infection (11).…”