Melioidosis: A Great mimicker
Abstract
Melioidosis is an infectious disease of humans and animals, caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, a gram-negative soil be~cterium. It is a disease of tropical climates with reports from North east and South India. It has also been listed as potential bioterrorism weapon. The bacterium causing melioidosis is found in contaminated water and soil. It spreads to humans through inhalation or inoculation.
With clinical presentations ranging from asymptomatic infection to full blown sepsis syndrome with very high mortality rate, early diagnosis and prompt treatment is important to reduce mortality.
Melioidosis is under reported in India, as it needs a high index of suspicion along with the isolation and identification of B. pseudomallei from blood and secretions.
References
2. Inglis TJ, Colledge CL, Clair A, Harvey J. Case report: recovery from persistent septicemic melioidosis. Am J Trap. 1ed Hyg. 2001 Jul; 65(1):76-82.
3. Ngauy V, Lemeshev Y, Sadkowski L, Crawford G. Cutaneous melioidosis in a man who was taken as a prisoner of war by the Japanese during World War II. J Clin .'.1icrobiol. 2005 Feb; 43(2):970-2.
4. Dhiensiri T, Eua-Ananta Y. Visceral abscess in melioidosis. J Med.Assoc Thai. 1995 May; 78(5):225-31.
5. Inglis TJ. Principia aetiologi12a: taking causality beyond "och's postulates.] med Microbiol. 2007 Nov; 56(Pt 11):1419-22.
6. White, N.J.; Dance, D.A.B.; Chaowagul, WEt AI. -Having Of Mortality Of Severe Melioidosis By Ceftazidime. Lancet, 2 697-701, 1989. Treatment table
7. Currie, B.J.; Fisher, D.A.; Howard, D.M. et al.- The epidemi_ logy of Melioidosis in Australia and Papua New Guinea. ~eta trop., 74: 121-127, 2000. signs table
8. Dance, D.A.B.; Wuthiekanun, V.; Naigowit, P. & White, N.J. - Identification of Pseudomonas pseudomallei in clinical practice: use of simple screening tests and API 20NE. J. din. Path., 42: 645-648, 1989.
9. Howard, K. & Inglis, T. -Novel selective medium for isolation of Burkholderia pseudomallei. J. din. Microbial., 41: 3312-3316, 2003.
10. Inglis, T.J.J.; Merritt, A.; Chidlow, G.; Aravena-Roman, M. & Harnett, G. - Comparison of diagnostic laboratory methods for identification of Burkholderia pseudomallei. J. din. Microbial., 43: 2201-2206, 2005.
11. Leelarasamee, A. & Bovornkitti, S. -Melioidosis: review and update. Rev. Infect. Dis., 11: 413-425, 1989.
12. Lowe, P.; Engler, C. & Norton, R. - Comparison of automated and nonautomated system for identification of Burkholderia pseudomallei. J. din. Microbial., 40: 4625-4627, 2002.
13. Thomas, A.D. - Evaluation of the API 20E and Microbact 24E systems for the identification of Pseudomonas pseudomallei. Vet. Microbial., 8: 611-615, 1983.
14. Wuthiekanun, V.; Dance, D.; Chaowagul, W. et al.- Blood culture techniques for the diagnosis of melioidosis. Europ. J. din. Microbial. infect. Dis., 9: 654-658, 1990.
15. Wuthiekanun, V.; Dance, D. A.; Wattanagoon, Y. et al. -The use of selective media for the isolation of Pseudomonas
pseudomallei in clinical practice. J. Med. Microbial., 33: 121- 126, 1990.
16. LITFL I Medical Specialty I Infectious Disease I Melioidosis a disease of surprises by Mike Cadogan.
17. Cheng AC, Currie BJ. Melioidosis: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management. Clin Microbial Rev. 2005;18 (2):383-416.
