Wikipedia
Burkholderia is a genus of Proteobacteria whose pathogenic members include Burkholderia mallei, responsible for glanders, a disease that occurs mostly in horses and related animals; Burkholderia pseudomallei, causative agent of melioidosis; and Burkholderia cepacia, an important pathogen of pulmonary infections in people with cystic fibrosis (CF).
The Burkholderia (previously part of Pseudomonas) genus name refers to a group of virtually ubiquitous Gram-negative, motile, obligately aerobic, rod-shaped bacteria including both animal and plant pathogens, as well as some environmentally important species. In particular, B. xenovorans (previously named Pseudomonas cepacia then B. cepacia and B. fungorum) is renowned for being catalase positive (affecting patients with chronic granulomatous disease) and its ability to degrade chlororganic pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls ( PCBs).
The use of Burkholderia species for agricultural purposes (such as biodegradation, biocontrol, and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria) is subject to discussions because of possible pathogenic effects in immunocompromised people (especially CF sufferers), e.g., hospital-acquired infections. However, the animal pathogenic and the plant/soil species belong to different groups, and it was proposed to separate them into two different genera, to avoid misinterpretations.
Due to their antibiotic resistance and the high mortality rate from their associated diseases, B. mallei and B. pseudomallei are considered to be potential biological warfare agents, targeting livestock and humans.
The genus was named after Walter H. Burkholder, plant pathologist at Cornell University.