Urinary Tract Infection Caused by Burkholderia cenocepacia in a Newborn: A Case Report

Burkholderia cenocepacia (B. cenocepacia) is a strictly aerobic, nonfermenting, Gram-negative bacillus belonging to the Burkholderia cepacia complex. It is the most virulent and pathogenic species within this group. It poses a therapeutic challenge due to its intrinsic resistance to several commonly used antibiotics and the emergence of acquired resistance. It mainly causes respiratory infections in immunocompromised patients, particularly those with cystic fibrosis. We report a rare case of urinary tract infection caused by B. cenocepacia in a neonate admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit for respiratory distress. Cytobacteriological examination of urine identified B. cenocepacia, with identification confirmed by MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry). The isolate was susceptible only to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. The clinical course was marked by the patient's death before the initiation of targeted antibiotic therapy.