Burkholderia cepacia complex: evaluation of antimicrobial susceptible profile and characterization of the mechanisms of resistance to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim

• Grant number: 12/04910-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2012
• End date: April 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Ana Cristina Gales
• Grantee: Ana Cristina Gales
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: São Paulo

Abstract

The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) is a group of Gram-negative bacteria a widely distributed in the environment. The "cepacia syndrome" is the main infection caused by Bcc in cystic fibrosis patients (FC). This pathology is characterized by a decline in lung function, followed by bacteremia, and in many instances, death. The mortality associated with Bcc infections in FC patients is high. Currently, 17 closely related species, which exhibit 95% of genetic similarity according the recA gene sequencing, are grouped under the Bcc. The Bcc species are intrinsically resistant to many antimicrobial agents, such as polymyxins, aminoglycosides and most of the beta-lactams. Moreover, the Bcc species have the ability to develop resistance to other antimicrobial classes during treatment. Several mechanisms may contribute to antimicrobial resistance in Bcc clinical isolates, such as the presence of dihidrofolate redutase enzyme and the expression of PenA, a chromosomal beta-lactamase; overexpression of RND systems efflux, and reduced permeability and modifications in lipopolysaccharide outer membrane. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptible profile displayed by clinical isolates collected from two teaching hospitals and to characterize the mechanisms of resistance to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, one of the main therapeutic options for treatment of Bcc infections. (AU)

Scientific publications

(The scientific publications listed on this page originate from the Web of Science or SciELO databases. Their authors have cited FAPESP grant or fellowship project numbers awarded to Principal Investigators or Fellowship Recipients, whether or not they are among the authors. This information is collected automatically and retrieved directly from those bibliometric databases.)

CORREA FEHLBERG, LORENA CRISTINA; SALES ANDRADE, LUCAS HENRIQUE; ASSIS, DIEGO MAGNO; VICENTE PEREIRA, ROSANA HELENA; GALES, ANA CRISTINA; MARQUES, ELIZABETH ANDRADE. Performance of MALDI-ToF MS for species identification of Burkholderia cepacia complex clinical isolates. DIAGNOSTIC MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE, v. 77, n. 2, p. 126-128, OCT 2013. (12/04910-9)