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Bacteria of the Burkholderia cepacia complex are the cause of severe lung infections primarily in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The risk of epidemic spread of the pathogen in the community of CF patients was the reason for implementing strict isolation measures and identifying the bacterium as early as possible. This review article features the taxonomy of the Burkholderia cepacia complex, possibilities for the laboratory diagnosis of all representatives of this complex, and epidemiological situation in the communities of CF patients in the Czech Republic and in the world.Burkholderia cepacia complex - cystic fibrosis - epidemic strain - pathogenesis of the infection.

The aim was to assess the epidemiology of Burkholderia cepacia complex strains isolated at the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University and University Hospital Olomouc, determine the most frequent strains and confirm or rule out potential clonal spread of the strains.Over a period of eight months, all strains classified as Burkholderia cepacia complex were collected. Susceptibility to selected antimicrobial agents was determined and adequate molecular genetic methods were used to assess their genetic relationship.A total of 52 isolates were tested, with the most frequent (88.5 %) being genomovar II (Burkholderia multivorans). More than 46 % of them were genetically related; 58.3 % of them were detected in intensive care units. All isolates were highly resistant to antimicrobial agents. In four cases, deaths associated with Burkholderia multivorans infection were reported.It may be assumed that genetically related strains of Burkholderia multivorans spread from the hospital setting. As yet, the source of infection has not been determined and further investigations are needed.