Characterization of Burkholderia cepacia Isolated from Clinical Samples, in Hilla City, Iraq

Abstract

This study involved 250 sputum samples collected from patients suffering from respiratory tract infections. Who attended tuberculosis center-Hilla city-Babylon province during the period from October 2011 to January 2012. The results of morphological properties and biochemical tests revealed that only four isolates (1.6%) were belonged to Burkholderia cepacia species. The results revealed that all isolates had the ability to produce protease, phospholipase C, β-lactamase, urease, gelatinase, and hemolysin. All isolates had capsule that plays an important role in resistance to phagocytosis. They also had the ability to produce bacteriocin which consider as competitive factor that enables them to survive by secreted this material outside the cell. The results also revealed the ability of B. cepacia to hydrolyze the amino acid lysine and oxidize glucose. Results of gel electrophoresis confirmed that all B. cepacia isolates in this study had plasmid more than 3000 bp.