Abstract  Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC), is increasingly recognized as an important cause of infections in immunocompromised and other hospitalized patients¹. The present study aims at isolation of BCC from clinical samples as well as to find out the risk factors associated with such infections. We could obtain 49 isolates of BCC from 8929 clinical samples with a maximum number of isolation (35) from blood culture. 20% of isolates were from patients above 60 years and 59.1% were from ICU cases. Based on the biochemical reactions performed on 22 BCC isolates, 20 belongs to Burkholderia cepacia genomic species, one was B. cenocepacia genomic species and the remaining one B. stabilis. Central venous /intravenous cannula, Foley’s catheter, prolonged hospital stay, and prior antibiotic therapy were the predominant risk factors associated with. As a part of the surveillance study subsequent to the alarmingly increased BCC infections, we could isolate BCC from a hand rub used in the ICUs and instructions were given to change the hand rub. There after the isolation of BCC had decreased to a significant level. Continuous environmental surveillance and strict infection control policies have to be taken to prevent infections with this hospital pathogen.

Keywords: Burkholderia cepacia complex infections- risk factors- infection control policies.