CDC Call for Cases Due to Bacterial Infection
On March 29th, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put out a call for cases due to Burkholderia multivorans (see below). DOH HAI Epidemiology requests:
- Healthcare facilities report B. multivorans cases per the definition provided by the CDC (see below) to the patient’s local health jurisdiction (LHJ)
- Retain samples at the reporting laboratory for possible submission to CDC through Washington Public Health Laboratories (PHL) for additional testing
- LHJs notify DOH HAI Epidemiology at [email protected] of reported cases
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The CDC, in collaboration with state and local health departments, is investigating multi-jurisdictional clusters of infections due to Burkholderia multivorans.
B. multivorans is a member of the Burkholderia cepacia complex, a group of closely related Gram-negative bacteria that can be found in soil and water and that have been associated with healthcare outbreaks.
CDC is working with state and local health departments to investigate infections due to B. multivorans in multiple jurisdictions following potential exposure to nonsterile ice and water from ice machines during clinical care activities. B. multivorans of the same strain as those identified from clinical isolates has been isolated from multiple ice machines from two of the affected hospitals across two states. Clinicians and other healthcare personnel should have a low threshold for reporting cases and clusters of B. multivorans to local or state public health authorities as outlined below.
Please report patients with:
- Newly diagnosed Burkholderia multivorans infection or colonization confirmed via culture (specimen from any body site),
- Specimen collected between January 1, 2022, to present, AND
- Admission to an acute care hospital for at least 48 hours in the 14 days prior to specimen collection.
Please retain any patient isolates for possible submission to CDC for laboratory testing. No cases have been reported in Washington residents to date.
