The study of the pathogenesis of infection caused by bacteria from Burkholderia cepacia complex in patients with cystic fibrosis

Summary: Bacteria from Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) and bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa belong among the most serious pathogens causing lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). These bacteria are highly resistant to almost all of the available antibiotics. Another serious problem is the ability of certain strains to spread among the patients, which can cause an epidemic infection. Some of the Bcc strains are capable of entering the bloodstream and causing serious septic condition called cepacia syndrome. One of these strains is the Czech epidemic strain B. cenocepacia ST32, which spread among Czech patients with CF in the 90s of the 20th century. The aim of this study was to compare transcriptome profiles of isolates gained from blood of patients with cepacia syndrome with transcriptome profiles of isolates gained from sputum of patients in the stable phase eventually exacerbation, and to choose the most appropriate genes with the different expression, which could be used as a possible marker for detection of arising cepacia syndrome. Another aim of this study was to do further study of function and influence on virulence of chosen marker (which is coding generally known virulence factor) in the time of cepacia syndrome. The last aim was to assess the epidemiologic situation of bacteria..