Agricultural use of Burkholderia (Pseudomonas) cepacia: A threat to human health?
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Holmes, AH
Govan, J
Goldstein, R
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
In the past 2 decades, Burkholderia cepacia has emerged as a human pathogen 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 patients. Meanwhile, the organism has been developed as a biopesticide for protecting crops against fungal diseases and has potential as a bioremediation agent for breaking down recalcitrant herbicides and pesticides. However, B. cepacia is inherently resistant to multiple antibiotics; selection of strains “safe” for environmental application is not at present possible phenotypically or genotypically; molecular epidemiology and phylogenetic studies demonstrate that highly transmissible strains emerge randomly; and the organism has a capacity for rapid mutation and adaptation (facilitated by numerous insertion sequences), and a large, complex genome divided into separate chromosomes. Therefore, the widespread agricultural use of B. cepacia should be approached with caution
Date Acceptance
1999-03-01
Citation
Emerging Infectious Diseases, 4 (2), pp.221-227
ISSN
1080-6040
Publisher
Centers for disease control and prevention
Start Page
221
End Page
227
Journal / Book Title
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume
4
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© The Authors 1999
License URL
Subjects
1108 Medical Microbiology
1117 Public Health And Health Services
1103 Clinical Sciences
Microbiology
Publication Status
Published