Burkholderia cepacia complex isolation in non-polypoid chronic rhinosinusitis

PurposeBurkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) infections of the head and neck have been infrequently reported in immunocompetent patients, while their association with cystic fibrosis is quite well known. One of the main problems associated with Bcc is their intrinsic resistance to most clinically-available antimicrobials. Bcc has already been isolated in sinonasal polyposis, while here we report for the first time on its isolation in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) but no nasal polyposis.Materials and methodsThirty-four consecutive surgically-treated CRS patients without cystic fibrosis were recruited.ResultsBcc was isolated in 4 cases of CRS without polyposis, and in another case in sinonasal polyposis. All tested Bcc strains isolated in non-polypotic CRS were resistant to ciprofloxacin, amikacin, ertapenem, amoxicillin/clavulanate, cefotaxime, and gentamicin.ConclusionsThe novel finding of Bcc species in CRS without polyposis as well suggests that the mechanism by which these bacteria adhere to the epithelium of the upper respiratory tract may be important in the host’s colonization.