Virulence factors of Burkholderia cepacia.

Originally named following its identification as a cause of soft rot in onions, Burkholderia cepacia has also been known as Pseudomonas multivorans and Pseudomonas kingae [1,2], and until most recently, as Pseudomonas cepacia [3]. A proposal for the transfer of 7 species of the genus Pseudomonas RNA Homology group II to a new genus Burkholderia with the type-species Burkholderia cepacia has been validated [3]. For the purpose of this review the name B. cepacia will be used. Once considered solely as a phytopathogen, B. cepacia is now recognized as an important pathogen in nosocomial infection and in patients with chronic granulomatous disease and particularly in those with cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is the most common autosomal recessive lethal disease in Caucasian populations with an incidence of approximately 1 in 2500 live births and a carrier