Burkholderia cepacia Complex, an Emerging Nosocomial Pathogen at Health Care Facilities in Sebha, Libya

Introduction: burkholderia cepacie complex (bcc) is an emerging multidrugresistant gram-negative bacteria frequently isolated from health care facilities worldwide. the present study investigated the prevalence of bcc in health care settings in sebha, libya. methods: two hundred swabs were initially collected. forty-seven nosocomial bcc isolates were identified from three medical care facilities, i.e., 40 (20%) from sebha medical center, five from the sebha infertility treatment center, and two from althanweya clinic. the isolates were identified using a combination of biochemical tests and usp chapter <60> microbiological examination of non-sterile products tests for burkholderia cepacia complex guidelines. a upgma dendrogram was used to examine the biochemical relationship of isolates. some of the putative virulence factors contributing to the pathogenicity of the isolates were also explored. results: of the 47 isolates, 29.79% were b. cepcia, 23.40% b. cenocepcia, 12.77% b. thailandensis, 8.51% b. vietnamiensis, 6.38% b. ambifaria, b. pyrrocinia, and b. stabilis each, 4.26% b. anthina, and 2.13% b. arboris. a variation in virulence factors was observed among isolates; all (100%) isolates produced siderophore, 91% had capsules, 91% produced lipase, 89% formed a biofilm, and 49% produced alkaline protease. the upgma dendrogram revealed that bcc species shared substantial phenotypical identity among themselves. conclusion: in developing countries with limited resources, diagnostic challenges in identifying bcc species can be resolved using selective media and usp chapter <60> guidelines.