A case of localized paranasal sinusitis associated with Burkholderia cenocepacia ST 1880 in a cystic fibrosis patient

Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) bacteria are considered to be very dangerous players in cystic fibrosis (CF) pathogenesis and are a criterion for negative prognosis in CF cases. In this report, a pediatric case of paranasal sinusitis caused by Burkholderia cenocepacia in a CF patient is described. This is an unusual case, since the paranasal sinuses were the only colonization locus of B. cenocepacia in this patient for 5 years (2015-2020). The lungs remained microbiologically clear with no clinical or radiological signs of pulmonary function decrease during this time period. The paranasal sinuses were sanitized by endoscopic sinus surgery on the left side (2020). Although having no local or systemic antibiotic treatment from the time of surgery to 2022, no B. cenocepacia were detected in the samples. The case shows the possibility of a prolonged remission of Bcc-associated paranasal sinusitis in the absence of systemic antibiotic therapy.

Automated summary

This report describes a pediatric case of paranasal sinusitis caused by Burkholderia cenocepacia in a cystic fibrosis patient. It is an unusual case where the paranasal sinuses were the only site of colonization by B. cenocepacia for five years, with no infection in other organs. The sinuses were sanitized by endoscopic sinus surgery and no B. cenocepacia was detected in samples after the surgery, even without systemic antibiotic therapy for two years. This case demonstrates the possibility of prolonged remission of Bcc-associated paranasal sinusitis in the absence of systemic antibiotics.