1.   Epidemiological evidence indicated that social contact was important in spread of the epidemic strain within and between clinics.

2.   The clinical significance of colonisation by the epidemic strain varied from patient to patient.

3.   All sputum cultures from the index case have continued to grow the epidemic strain.

4.   Despite aggressive antibiotic therapy, the epidemic strain continued to be isolated from his sputum and subsequently from blood cultures.

5.   In Edinburgh, social contact outside hospital was strongly implicated in transmission of the epidemic strain.

6.   Each of the Edinburgh patients colonised by the epidemic strain showed a rising IgG antibody response to P cepacia-specific cell wall antigen.