title: A sporadic outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia complex bacteremia in pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital in coastal Karnataka, South India.
abstract: Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) is a significant opportunistic pathogen in hospitalized and immunocompromised patients, particularly in cystic fibrosis. It is widely distributed in natural habitats such as soil and water and frequently encountered in nosocomial outbreaks due to contaminated disinfectants and medical devices. However reports on outbreaks due to this organism are lacking from the Indian subcontinent. We report here a sporadic outbreak due to BCC which occurred in the pediatric Intensive Care Unit of our institute, the probable source being contaminated distilled water. The isolate from three babies and environmental sources including distilled water were identical and confirmed as BCC. Strict infection control measures were instituted to prevent the spread of infection. This report highlights the potential role of B.cepacia in causing sporadic outbreaks especially in ICUs, associated with water.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Beena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Antony
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Elizabeth Varkey
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Cherian
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Rekha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boloor
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: K Varadraj
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Shenoy
mesh_terms: D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D019121:Burkholderia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D042602:Burkholderia cepacia complex / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002648:Child; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D008297:Male; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers