Clinical specimens where Burkholderia species may be encountered:
- Blood
- Bone marrow
- Respiratory specimens - sputum, throat, or nasal
- Wounds
- Urine
Gram stain morphology:
B. mallei
- Gram-negative coccobacillus or small rod
- Arranged in pairs end-to-end, parallel bundles, or Chinese letter form
B. pseudomallei
- Small, straight, or slightly curved gram-negative rod
- May demonstrate peripheral or bipolar staining as they age (appear like endospores)
- Smooth forms are arranged in long, parallel bundles
- Rough forms more irregularly arranged