The Complexity of the Identification of Burkholderia cepacia Strain Which Caused Septicemia

The correct identifying of pathogenic Burkholderia spp. using available commercial biochemical systems is a certain problem due to metabolic plasticity and variable enzymatic profile of isolates. The current study aimed at using specific PCR and conventional multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) scheme to confirm the uncertain identification results for Burkholderia cepacia clinical isolate. Multilocus species-specific PCR and MLST profiling of high-throughput sequencing data have been used to clarify the varied results of biochemical identification of the strain. The strain isolated from a patient with septicemia was initially identified as B. pseudomallei by Vitek 2 GN system but has an uncharacteristic antimicrobial resistance pattern and colony morphology. A species-specific multilocus PCR and whole-genome sequence profiling, according to the MLST scheme, allowed to identify an isolate as B. cepacia. The obtained results demonstrate the preference of molecular tests for correct identifying of pathogenic Burkholderia, considering that misidentification of those may lead to improper treatment or increase of biosafety risk.