Original Article
Inflammation in Achromobacter xylosoxidans infected cystic fibrosis patients

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcf.2009.10.005Get rights and content
Under an Elsevier user license
open archive

Abstract

Background

Achromobacter xylosoxidans infection may cause conspicuous chronic pulmonary inflammation in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients similar to Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc). Evolution in lung function was compared in chronically infected patients. Cytokine concentrations in CF patients with and without chronic infection were compared to healthy controls.

Methods

Cytokines in serum and sputum were measured using multiplex bead based immunoassay.

Results

Sixty CF patients, 11 with A. xylosoxidans, 11 with Bcc, 21 with P. aeruginosa and 17 non-infected CF patients were compared to 11 healthy controls. A. xylosoxidans patients were younger, but had a FEV1 decline similar to P. aeruginosa patients. Bcc patients had the steepest decline in FEV1.

Serum levels of G-CSF, IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly higher in CF patients compared to healthy controls. Chronically infected CF patients had significantly higher serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-6 compared to non-infected CF patients. Bcc patients had significantly lower serum G-CSF and A. xylosoxidans patients had significantly higher sputum TNF-α compared to the other groups of chronically infected patients.

Conclusion

A. xylosoxidans can cause a level of inflammation similar to P. aeruginosa in chronically infected CF patients. A. xylosoxidans is a clinically important pathogen in CF and should be treated accordingly.

Keywords

Cystic fibrosis chronic lung infection
Achromobacter xylosoxidans
Inflammatory cytokines
Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Cited by (0)

Preliminary data have been presented at: the 6th annual Cytokines and Inflammation Congress in Orlando, Florida, January 28–29, 2008; at the 8th International Congress on Pediatric Pulmonology in Nice, France, March 29–31, 2008; at the American Thoracic Society Annual Conference in Toronto, Canada, May 16–21, 2008 and at the 22nd North American CF Conference in Orlando, Florida, October 23–25, 2008.