Table 1

*Characteristics of patients and their evolution since hospital admission until B cepacia* isolation and ICU discharge**
Data	Study patients

	1	2	3	4	5

Age (years)	78	75	78	85	71
Diagnosis	Peritonitis	Heat stroke	Heat stroke	Urinary septic shock	Peritonitis and cardiac arrest
Hospital admission	14 July 2006	28 July 2006	26 July 2006	3 August 2006	11 July 2006
ICU admission	15 July 2006	28 July 2006	26 July 2006	8 August 2006	21 August 2006
B cepacia isolation	1 August 2006	3 August 2006	12 August 2006	12 August 2006	18 August 2006
Sample 1	TA^a	TA	CVC/skin	AC/blood	Urine
Sample 2	TA^a(5 August 2006)	TA^a(5 August 2006)	Urine (14 August 2006)	Urine (15 August 2006)	CVC/Blood, urine (12 September 2006)
Sample 3	TA^a(18 August 2006)	TA^a(16 August 2006)	-	-	-
Sample 4	TA^a(20 August 2006)	TA^a(21 August 2006)	-	-	-
Sample 5	TA^a/CVC (19 August 2006)	Blood*/CVC (24 August 2006)	-	-	-
ICU discharge	9 September 2006	28 August 2006	18 September 2006	23 August 2006	17 September 2006
Cause of death	MOF	Encephalopathy	Alive	Alive	Encephalopathy
B. cepacia Related death	No	No			No

^aTogether with one or more micro-organisms. AC, arterial catheter; CVC, central venous catheter; ICU, intensive care unit; MOF, multiple organ failure; TA, tracheal aspirated.
Álvarez-Lerma et al. Critical Care 2008 12:R10 doi:10.1186/cc6778