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Burkholderia species are found in soil and water and have the ability to cause serious human disease. Infections from these organisms are particularly challenging to manage in the immunocompromised host. Speciation, and identification to strain level, has relevance to virulence, prognosis, and therapeutic strategy – particularly in the case of cystic fibrosis – indicated in lung transplantation. B. pseudomallei complex causes melioidosis and needs to be considered in endemic area travelers or residents. If diagnosed, infections are treatable with relatively conventional intravenous antibiotics. B. gladioli is a soil organism often nosocomially acquired and is emerging as a serious pathogen which is challenging to treat with antibiotics. B. cepacia complex (particularly B. cenocepacia) infections are associated with serious morbidity and mortality, particularly in cystic fibrosis patients, and a careful clinical strategy is required if transplantation is being considered or has already been undertaken. Antibiotic therapy for this group of patients in the transplant setting must be aggressive and extensive. Confirming the challenges of current therapeutic approaches, trials of novel anti-infective therapies are ongoing for many Burkholderia species.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-01751-4_22-1