Epidemiology ofPseudomonas cepaciacolonization among patients with cystic fibrosis

摘要

AbstractColonization withPseudmonas cepaciain patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) has been associated with increased morbidity and early death, compared with colonization byP. aeruginosa. The mode of acquisition ofP. cepaciais not fully understood, although person‐to‐person spread appears likely. Recent epidemiologic studies support the importance of social contact in the spread ofP. cepaciaamong patients with CF. This study was undertaken to investigate the epidemiology ofP. cepaciacolonization among patients with CF attending the CF clinic at our center. Isolates ofP. cepaciawere collected from patients at two CF treatment centers, including ours. Additional isolates were collected from patients without CF in the hospital ICU, from other teaching hospitals, and from the environment. Profiles of enzymes were obtained by ultrathin polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis ofP. cepaciaextracts. A predominant electromorphic type (ET) was found amongP. cepaciaisolates from patients at both centers, suggesting a common source or person‐to‐person transmission. The majority of hospital isolates fell into a single, different ET. Surveillance swabs of respiratory equipment at our CF clinic did not growP. cepacia. Attendance of patients at CF summer camp correlated strongly withP. cepaciacolonization (P<0.0001).Pediatr Pulmonol. 1994;18:108–113. © 1994 Wiley