Person-to-person transmission of Pseudomonas cepacia between patients with cystic fibrosis

Lancet. 1990 Nov 3;336(8723):1094-6. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(90)92571-x.

Abstract

Ribotyping, a method of strain identification based on analysis of bacterial genomic restriction fragment length polymorphisms, was used to investigate the acquisition of Pseudomonas cepacia by a patient with cystic fibrosis. Analysis of isolates recovered from the index patient and his contacts showed person-to-person transmission of this opportunist organism. This documentation of the transmission of P cepacia from one cystic fibrosis patient to another suggests that measures to limit the acquisition of the pathogen by patients with cystic fibrosis may be worth while.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Autoradiography
  • Cystic Fibrosis / microbiology*
  • DNA, Bacterial / analysis
  • Humans
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
  • Pseudomonas / classification
  • Pseudomonas / genetics*
  • Pseudomonas / isolation & purification
  • Pseudomonas Infections / prevention & control
  • Pseudomonas Infections / transmission*
  • Sputum / microbiology

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial