Prevalence of Indeterminate Genetic Species of Burkholderia cepacia

LILIANA JORDA´-VARGAS, NANCY C. CASTANEDA, JOSE´ DEGROSSI, MIGUEL D’AQUINO, MIGUEL A. VALVANO, ADRIANA PROCOPIO, LAURA GALANTERNIK, DANIELA CENTRON

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY

AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY

Lugar: Washington; Año: 2008 vol. 46 p. 1151 - 1152

0095-1137

The Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) represents a group of gram-negative bacilli usually found ubiquitously in the environment whose members are of significant pathogenic potential, particularly for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) (3). In recent years, taxonomic advances have demonstrated that this group of bacteria consists of at least nine related genetic species (formerly designated “genomovars”) (9). Representative strains of all BCC species have been isolated from pulmonary infections in CF patients, but several studies have indicated that B. multivorans and B. cenocepacia account for the majority of BCC isolates from these patients (1, 6). Furthermore, certain clones of B. cenocepacia and B. dolosa are particularly associated with poor clinical course and high mortality (1, 10). Currently, there are no data about the distribution of BCC species among the CF population in Argentina. Molecular techniques are required for an accurate identification of BCC species (7). Among these techniques, PCR-based diagnostic tests targeting the recA gene are amenable for use in the clinical laboratory (7). In our experience examining sputum samples, the BCC species were often difficult to identify using only PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses (7). Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the methods needed for identification of BCC species in sputum samples from our CF patients.Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) represents a group of gram-negative bacilli usually found ubiquitously in the environment whose members are of significant pathogenic potential, particularly for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) (3). In recent years, taxonomic advances have demonstrated that this group of bacteria consists of at least nine related genetic species (formerly designated “genomovars”) (9). Representative strains of all BCC species have been isolated from pulmonary infections in CF patients, but several studies have indicated that B. multivorans and B. cenocepacia account for the majority of BCC isolates from these patients (1, 6). Furthermore, certain clones of B. cenocepacia and B. dolosa are particularly associated with poor clinical course and high mortality (1, 10). Currently, there are no data about the distribution of BCC species among the CF population in Argentina. Molecular techniques are required for an accurate identification of BCC species (7). Among these techniques, PCR-based diagnostic tests targeting the recA gene are amenable for use in the clinical laboratory (7). In our experience examining sputum samples, the BCC species were often difficult to identify using only PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses (7). Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the methods needed for identification of BCC species in sputum samples from our CF patients.B. multivorans and B. cenocepacia account for the majority of BCC isolates from these patients (1, 6). Furthermore, certain clones of B. cenocepacia and B. dolosa are particularly associated with poor clinical course and high mortality (1, 10). Currently, there are no data about the distribution of BCC species among the CF population in Argentina. Molecular techniques are required for an accurate identification of BCC species (7). Among these techniques, PCR-based diagnostic tests targeting the recA gene are amenable for use in the clinical laboratory (7). In our experience examining sputum samples, the BCC species were often difficult to identify using only PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses (7). Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the methods needed for identification of BCC species in sputum samples from our CF patients.B. cenocepacia and B. dolosa are particularly associated with poor clinical course and high mortality (1, 10). Currently, there are no data about the distribution of BCC species among the CF population in Argentina. Molecular techniques are required for an accurate identification of BCC species (7). Among these techniques, PCR-based diagnostic tests targeting the recA gene are amenable for use in the clinical laboratory (7). In our experience examining sputum samples, the BCC species were often difficult to identify using only PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses (7). Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the methods needed for identification of BCC species in sputum samples from our CF patients.recA gene are amenable for use in the clinical laboratory (7). In our experience examining sputum samples, the BCC species were often difficult to identify using only PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses (7). Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the methods needed for identification of BCC species in sputum samples from our CF patients.