title: Serum sensitivity of Burkholderia (Pseudomonas) cepacia isolates from patients with cystic fibrosis.
abstract: Bacterial strains which are sensitive to the bactericidal activity of serum are generally considered to be less virulent than serum-resistant strains and are seldom associated with bacteraemia. Burkholderia (Pseudomonas) cepacia is an important pathogen in cystic fibrosis and is associated with rapid fatal pulmonary decline and bacteraemia in 20% of colonised patients. In this study 19 isolates of B. cepacia expressing either rough or smooth LPS were investigated to determine the degree of serum sensitivity. Strains expressing rough-LPS were serum-sensitive: these included a highly transmissible strain of B. cepacia isolated from approximately 50 cystic fibrosis patients attending various U.K. regional centres and associated with cases of bacteraemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Edinburgh Medical School, UK.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Poxton
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Govan
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001770:Blood Bactericidal Activity; D016956:Burkholderia cepacia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides