Burkholderia cepacia complex in clinically-infected animals: retrospective analysis, antibiotic resistance, and potential hazard for public health.

Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) emerged as important opportunistic human pathogens, overall in immunocompromised and Cystic Fibrosis suffering patients. Since distribution in animal species and associated infections are not widely documented (Collobert et al., 1995; Shyu et al., 1996; Berriatua et al., 2001), as well as their antibiotic resistance, a retrospective analysis was carried out in order to report about the occurrence of Bcc infections in small and large animals and to evaluate the potential risks for human health related to the spread of antibiotic-resistant Bcc strains from animals. Methods: Over 5-yr period, 106 Bcc clinical isolates from dog/cat (n=50) and horse/cattle (n=56) were identified by Bcc selective medium and biochemical tests (Remel, Oxoid, Italy) and were subsequently tested by Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method using single veterinary and human antibiotics (Table 1). The significance of differences in resistance relative to the animal species and to the source of clinical specimens was evaluated using Chi squared test (STATA software version 9.1). P value under 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Bcc were cultured from bronchial alveolar lavages (49%), ear- (26%), naso-pharyngeal swabs (15%), uterine swabs (6%), and urine samples (4%). The Bcc resistance to antibiotics is given in Table 1. Significant high resistance percentages were observed towards molecules used both in veterinary and human medicine (P<0.05). No differences were recorded for Bcc in relation to the source of specimens and between small and large animals, unless for gentamicin (P=0.0246). Conclusion: The diagnosis and treatment of infections caused by Bcc can be considered as a great challenge also in veterinary medicine. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report taking into consideration the association of multiresistant Bcc in different animal infections. As Bcc has important implications in veterinary and human medicine, it draws attention to the potential risks in terms of Public Health related to the spread of antibiotic-resistant Bcc strains from animals to human beings and vice-versa.