Should you test for Burkholderia cepacia?

Should you test / care for Burkholderia cepacia, Gram- Negative Rod | Medical Supply Company

Why you should care about Burkholderia cepacia

A recent article from Charles River “Why You Should Care About Burkholderia cepacia” caught our attention and reminded us of the importance of this ubiquitous Gram-negative rod.

The question of whether or not to test for Burkholderia cepacia frequently arises for all non-sterile pharmaceuticals, personal care products and water systems. This has been discussed in detail by our partner Microbiologics on their blog, and they have also profiled it as an environmental isolate in their case files series.

 A persistent reason for recalls of nonsterile products is contamination with Burkholderia cepacia, a microorganism capable of causing serious illness in patients with impaired immune systems or chronic lung disease. Despite the threat of B. cepacia, the strain is not listed as an objectionable microorganism in the United States, European or Japanese Pharmacopeias. 

You can get Burkholderia cepacia in EZ-Accu Shot format from MSC for Growth Promotion Testing. 

For more on our Pharmaceutical and Industry division see here