Burkholderia Cepacia Complex in Personal Care Products: Molecular Epidemiology and Susceptibility to Preservatives

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Cosmetic Science

Background:

• Outbreaks of Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) infections are frequently linked to contamination in personal care products (PCPs).
• Understanding the prevalence and characteristics of Bcc in PCPs is crucial for public health and product safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) isolates from personal care products (PCPs).
• To assess the susceptibility of these Bcc isolates to common preservatives: dimethoxy dimethyl hydantoin (DMDMH), methylisothiazolinone-chloromethylisothiazolinone (MIT/cMIT), and methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (MH).

Main Methods:

• Isolates were identified using biochemical tests and phylogenetic analysis based on recA gene sequences.
• Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was employed to determine distinct sequence types (STs).
• Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assays were used to evaluate preservative susceptibility.

Main Results:

• Seven distinct sequence types (STs) belonging to four Bcc species were identified: Burkholderia cenocepacia, Burkholderia lata, Burkholderia contaminans, and Burkholderia cepacia.
• While DMDMH and MH at maximum cosmetic concentrations inhibited all Bcc strains, 40% of isolates survived concentrations exceeding the permitted levels for MIT/cMIT.
• The study identified a notable diversity in the molecular epidemiology of Bcc in PCPs.

Conclusions:

• Personal care product contamination with Bcc strains warrants increased attention from manufacturers.
• The observed low susceptibility of certain Bcc isolates to preservatives like MIT/cMIT highlights a potential challenge in product preservation.
• Further research and stringent quality control measures are necessary to mitigate Bcc contamination risks in PCPs.