Immune Recognition of the Epidemic Cystic Fibrosis Pathogen Burkholderia dolosa.

caused an outbreak in the cystic fibrosis (CF) clinic at Boston Children's Hospital from 1998 to 2005 and led to the infection of over 40 patients, many of whom died due to complications from infection by this organism. To assess whether significantly contributes to disease or is recognized by the host immune response, mice were infected with a sequenced outbreak strain, AU0158, and responses were compared to those to the well-studied CF pathogen In parallel, mice were also infected with a polar flagellin mutant of to examine the role of flagella in lung colonization. The results showed a higher persistence in the host by strains, and yet, neutrophil recruitment and cytokine production were lower than those with The ability of host immune cells to recognize was then assessed, induced a robust cytokine response in cultured cells, and this effect was dependent on the flagella only when bacteria were dead. Together, these results suggest that can be recognized by host cells but may avoid or suppress the host immune response through unknown mechanisms. was then compared to other species and found to induce similar levels of cytokine production despite being internalized by macrophages more than strains. These data suggest that AU0158 may act differently with host cells and is recognized differently by immune systems than are other strains or species.