Current status of Pseudomonas cepacia typing systems.

Pseudomonas cepacia is an important nosocomial pathogen for which measures of isolate relatedness are being developed. Typing systems based on 4 different strain characteristics have been proposed: serologic reactions, biochemical reactions, plasmid profiles, and bacteriocin production and susceptibility. Serology and bacteriocins distinguish many types, but the sensitivity and specificity of these techniques have not been determined. Improved methods for typing P. cepacia are needed to determine the reservoirs and modes of transmission of this emerging nosocomial pathogen.