Shayosree Sarkar, Sonal Chavan, Geetika Agrawal, Heena Rahangdale, Sunanada Zodpey,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (3-2025)
Abstract
Background: Burkholderia cepacia complex is are opportunistic nosocomial pathogen that can cause severe infections in neonates, involving the respiratory tract, the urinary tract and bloodstream infections. Therefore, it can lead to outbreaks through different sources. This study was conducted with the aim of early detection and successful control of an outbreak caused by Burkholderia cepacia complex.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital over a one-month period, July 2023. Blood culture samples of 11 neonate’s yielded growth of non-fermenting, oxidase-positive and motile, Gram-negative bacilli. Isolates were provisionally identified to be Burkholderia cepacia complex by conventional biochemical tests and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. The increased, repeated, and continuous isolation of the same isolate raised the suspicion of an outbreak in the neonatal intensive care unit. Active surveillance was undertaken to trace the source and contain the bacteria. Identification of isolates was confirmed by VITEK 2 (BioMérieux, France) compact microbiology analyser.
Results: Surveillance revealed sources of Burkholderia cepacia complex for all 11 neonates. Sources of infection could be traced to intravenous catheters and cradles of the neonates and operation theatre beds, and instrument trolleys of the labour room where the babies were delivered. All the environmental isolates showed strain-relatedness of Burkholderia cepacia complex with the clinical isolates, along with a similar antibiotic susceptibility pattern. Timely interventions aided in the control of the outbreak.
Conclusion: This study presents the importance of the hospital infection control team in the management of an outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia complex in neonates.
