ET 12

ET 12

1. Pulmonary pathogen in individuals with cystic fibrosis. Infection is often associated with severe pulmonary inflammation, and some patients develop a fatal necrotizing pneumonia and sepsis ('cepacia syndrome').

   • Infection Control
     • For Health Care Workers
       • Practicing hand hygiene and disinfection
       • Use barrier precautions (e.g., wearing gloves, gown, and mask) based on the anticipated exposure when they care for a patient
       • Patients must always wear a mask upon exiting hospital room
     • For Patients
       • Eliminate socializing between CF patients infected with B. cepacia complex and other CF patients while in hospital
       • Always wear a mask upon exiting room
   • Transmission
     • The germs spread either by direct contact, such as kissing, or indirectly from touching objects with the germs, such as doorknobs. This is known as cross-infection and can happen in social settings like events, gatherings or meetings
       • resistant to many common antibiotics and able to acquire resistance against many more
       • Patients with ET12 cannot be on the same hospital floor as CF patients without ET12 due to rapid transmission and fatality
     • In these cases, infection may have occurred by exposure to Burkholderia in the natural environment.