Affiliations 

  • 1 Division of Infection Biology & Medical Microbiology, Department of Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, India
  • 2 Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Microbiol. Immunol., 2020 Feb;64(2):87-98.
PMID: 31769530 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.12762

Abstract

Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) are opportunistic pathogens implicated with nosocomial infections, and high rates of morbidity and mortality, especially in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). B. cepacia are naturally resistant to different classes of antibiotics, and can subvert the host innate immune responses by producing quorum sensing (QS) controlled virulence factors and biofilms. It still remains a conundrum as to how exactly the bacterium survives the intracellular environment within the host cells of CF patients and immunocompromised individuals although the bacterium can invade human lung epithelial cells, neutrophils, and murine macrophages. The mechanisms associated with intracellular survival in the airway epithelial cells and the role of QS and virulence factors in B. cepacia infections in cystic fibrosis remain largely unclear. The current review focuses on understanding the role of QS-controlled virulence factors and biofilms, and provides additional impetus to understanding the potentials of QS-inhibitory strategies against B. cepacia.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.