Exceptionally high representation of Burkholderia cepacia among B. cepacia complex isolates recovered from the major Portuguese cystic fibrosis center.

Burkholderia cepacia, a species found infrequently in cystic fibrosis (CF), was isolated from 85% of patients infected with bacteria of the B. cepacia complex that visited the major Portuguese CF center, in Lisbon, during 2003 to 2005. A detailed molecular analysis revealed that this was mainly due to two B. cepacia clones. These clones were indistinguishable from two strains isolated from intrinsically contaminated nonsterile saline solutions for nasal application, detected during routine market surveillance by the Portuguese Medicines and Health Products Authority.