What is the Difference Between Pseudomonas and Burkholderia?

Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia are both Gram-negative bacteria that can cause infections in humans, particularly in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). They inhabit similar environmental niches and can form mixed biofilms, so it is likely that they interact with each other. Some key differences between these two bacteria include:

1. Infections: Pseudomonas aeruginosa typically infects infants or young children and persists for life, while Burkholderia cepacia complex species only infect teenagers and adults. Burkholderia cepacia bacteremia has a lower mortality rate than Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia.
2. Type VI Secretion Systems (T6SS): Both Pseudomonas and Burkholderia use T6SS as toxic weaponry to compete with and establish dominance over each other. However, Pseudomonas isolates taken from young CF patients can effectively compete with Burkholderia, while adapted Pseudomonas bacteria lose their ability to produce T6SSs and fight with Burkholderia.
3. Iron Sequestration: Burkholderia spp. can alter Pseudomonas aeruginosa physiology through iron sequestration, which can be a factor in Pseudomonas-Burkholderia interactions.
4. Age Distribution: Burkholderia cepacia bacteremia occurs at an older age compared to Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) population.

In summary, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia are both opportunistic human pathogens with different infection patterns, competition mechanisms, and age distributions. They interact with each other through toxic weaponry and iron sequestration, which can impact their physiology and the severity of infections.

Comparative Table: Pseudomonas vs Burkholderia

Here is a table comparing the differences between Pseudomonas and Burkholderia:

Pseudomonas and Burkholderia species are both non-lactose fermenting gram-negative bacilli, but they have different clinical relevance, distribution in nature, and species.