Fact Sheet
What you should know about Burkholderia
cepacia infection
March 26, 2004
About Burkholderia
cepacia (B. cepacia)
B. cepacia is the name for a group or “complex” of
bacteria that can be found in soil and water. B. cepacia bacteria are often resistant to
common antibiotics.
Populations susceptible to B. cepacia infection
B. cepacia poses little medical risk to healthy people. However, people who
have certain health problems like weakened immune systems or chronic lung
diseases, particularly cystic fibrosis (CF), may be more susceptible to
infections with B. cepacia. B cepacia is a known cause of infections in
hospitalized patients.
Symptoms of B. cepacia infection
The effects of B. cepacia on people vary widely, ranging
from no symptoms at all, to serious respiratory infections, especially
in patients with CF.
How B. cepacia infection is spread
Transmission of B. cepacia from contaminated
medicines and devices has been reported.
In 2005, CDC was notified by several states of clusters
of pneumonia and other infections caused by B. cepacia and associated
with contaminated mouthwash. For more information see the CDC
Health Advisory (HAN).
In 2004, CDC was notified of a voluntary recall of over-the-counter
nasal spray due to contamination
with B. cepacia complex.
For more information see
the MMWR
article and also the CDC
Health Update (HAN) for a complete list of recalled lot numbers.
Also in 2004, B. cepacia was attributed
to nosocomial infections among ICU patients and associated
with exposure to sublingual probes. For more information see the MMWR
article.
For a comprehensive list of medicines and devices that
have been associated with B. cepacia contamination before 2003,
see p. 43 of CDC’s Environmental
Guidelines for Healthcare Facilities.
B. cepacia can also
be spread to susceptible persons by
Careful attention to infection control procedures like hand hygiene can
help reduce the risk of transmission of this organism. For more information
on hand hygiene and infection control practices see, Hand
Hygiene in Healthcare Settings and Guideline
for Isolation Precautions in Hospitals
Treatment of B. cepacia infection
B. cepacia can be resistant to many common antibiotics. Decisions
on the treatment of infections with B. cepacia should be made on
a case-by-case basis.
What CDC is doing
CDC has issued a CDC
Health Advisory about the current recall of contaminated
nasal spray and is working with state and local health departments
to monitor reported cases of infection. CDC is also working with the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) on this issue.
For more information:
See the Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation’s Web site for more information
about the risks of B. cepacia infection for people with CF.
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