a: Burkholderia cepacia ATCC (Image Source: ATCC)
b: Burkholderia cepacia (Image Source: Rapid Microbiology)
c: Burkholderia cepacia (Image Source: OMICS International)
d: Burkholderia cepacia complex from respiratory secretions of patients with cystic fibrosis (Image Source: Thermo Scientific)
e: Scanning Electron Micrograph of Burkholderia cepacia (Image Source: Wikipedia)
f: Burkholderia cepacia gram stain (Image Source: DOI: 10.1099/jmmcr.0.005081)
Some of the characteristics are as follows:
| Basic Characteristics | Properties (Burkholderia cepacia) |
| Bacteriocin | Positive (+ve) |
| Capsule | Positive (+ve) |
| Catalase | Positive (+ve) |
| Citrate | Positive (+ve) |
| Flagella | Positive (+ve) |
| Gelatin Hydrolysis | Variable |
| Gram Staining | Gram-stain-negative |
| Hemolysis | Negative (-ve) |
| Motility | Positive(+ve) |
| Nitrate Reduction | Negative (-ve) |
| Oxidase | Variable |
| Pigment | Positive (+ve) |
| Shape | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Straight or curved rods |
| Spore | Negative (-ve) |
| Urease | Positive (+ve) |
Fermentation of |
|
| Adonitol | Positive (+ve) |
| Amygdalin | Positive (+ve) |
| Arabinose | Positive (+ve) |
| Arabitol | Positive (+ve) |
| Arbutin | Positive (+ve) |
| Cellobiose | Variable |
| Dulcitol | Positive (+ve) |
| Erythritol | Negative (-ve) |
| Fucose | Positive (+ve) |
| Glucosamine | Positive (+ve) |
| 2-Ketogluconate | Positive (+ve) |
| 5-Ketogluconate | Positive (+ve) |
| Lactose | Negative (-ve) |
| Malonate | Positive (+ve) |
| Maltose | Variable |
| Melibiose | Variable |
| Mucate | Positive (+ve) |
| N-Acetylglucosamine | Positive (+ve) |
| Raffinose | Variable |
| Rhamnose | Variable |
| Ribose | Positive (+ve) |
| Salicin | Positive (+ve) |
| Starch | Negative (-ve) |
| Sucrose | Variable |
| Tagatose | Positive (+ve) |
| Tartrate | Positive (+ve) |
| Trehalose | Negative (-ve) |
| Xylose | Variable |
Enzymatic Reactions |
|
| Arginine Dihydrolase | Negative (-ve) |
| Beta Lactamase | Positive (+ve) |
| ONPG (β-galactosidase) | Positive (+ve) |
| Ornithine Decarboxylase | Variable |
| Phospholipase C | Positive (+ve) |
| Protease | Positive (+ve) |
Namaste sir,
Is Burkholderia cepacia grow on Nutrient agar?
Yes. Burkholderia cepacia is not fastidious and can grow on basic, non-selective media like Nutrient agar.
Burkholderia cepacia is a Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium known for its ability to survive in a variety of environments. Unlike fastidious bacteria that require specialized growth media or specific nutrients, B. cepacia typically can grow on simple, general-purpose media. Nutrient agar, which provides basic nutrients such as peptones and beef extract, is usually sufficient to support its growth.
When cultured on Nutrient agar, B. cepacia typically produces smooth, circular colonies. They may have a characteristic yellowish or greenish pigment. The bacterium’s ability to thrive under relatively minimal nutritional conditions is one of the reasons it’s found widely in soil, water, and occasionally in hospital environments, posing risks to immunocompromised patients, especially those with cystic fibrosis.