What You Need To Know
The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) Communicable Disease Service (CDS) is issuing a Health Advisory about multi-jurisdictional clusters of infections due to Burkholderia multivorans.
CDC is working with state and local health departments to investigate infections due to B. multivorans in multiple jurisdictions following potential exposure to nonsterile ice and water from ice machines during clinical care activities. B. multivorans of the same strain as those identified from clinical isolates has been isolated from multiple ice machines from two of the affected hospitals across two states. Clinicians and other healthcare personnel should have a low threshold for reporting cases and clusters of B. multivorans to local or state public health authorities as outlined below.
Recommendations for Reporting:
- Report to NJDOH CDS all patients newly diagnosed with Burkholderia multivorans infection or colonization confirmed via culture (specimen from any body site) between January 1, 2022, to present that were admitted to an acute care hospital for at least 48 hours in the 14 days prior to specimen collection.
- Moving forward, report to NJDOH CDS all patients newly diagnosed with Burkholderia cepacia (which includes Burkholderia multivorans) infection or colonization confirmed via culture (specimen from any body site) that were admitted to an acute care hospital for at least 48 hours in the 14 days prior to specimen collection.
- Laboratories that identify Burkholderia cepacia complex should save the isolate and report it to NJDOH for potential further laboratory testing.
- To discuss submission of isolates for testing, reach out to NJDOH PHEL staff (listed below).
Contact Information
NJDOH Communicable Disease Service:
- Claire Burns-Lynch, Antimicrobial Resistance Response Epidemiologist, NJDOH CDS Email: Claire.Burns-Lynch@doh.nj.gov
- CDS HAI/AR Unit Email: DOH.CDS.HAIAR.EPI@doh.nj.gov
- NJDOH Communicable Disease Service, (609) 826-5964 during business hours