Melioidosis

Melioidosis Latest News

A recent study has revealed that melioidosis disease in Odisha has clear seasonality, with infections peaking during and after the monsoon season.

About Melioidosis

• It is a bacterial infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei.
• B. pseudomallei lives in surface water (streams, rivers, lakes) and soil, mostly in tropical or subtropical areas.
• It is endemic in Southeast Asia, northern Australia, much of the Indian subcontinent, southern China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
• It is also sometimes called Whitmore’s disease.
• It has a high case fatality rate (CFR) ranging from 16% to 50% in known endemic regions.
• Transmission: 
  • Both humans and animals can get melioidosis, but people can’t get it from animals. 
  • It's spread to people and animals through direct contact with soil, air, or water contaminated by the bacteria. 
  • Cases may increase after hurricanes, heavy rain, and other severe weather events because the bacteria rise to the surface of the soil.
• In areas where it’s more commonly found, melioidosis usually affects adults 40 to 60 years old with certain underlying conditions. Children under 15 rarely get melioidosis.
• Symptoms: 
  • Melioidosis may present with localised infection (such as cutaneous abscess), pneumonia, meningoencephalitis, sepsis, or chronic suppurative infection. 
  • Depending on the site of infection, common symptoms include fever, headache, localised pain or swelling, ulceration, chest pain, cough, shortness of breath, haemoptysis, and swelling of regional lymph nodes.
• Treatment: 
  • It can be treated with antibiotics. 
  • Long-term treatment may be necessary for some chronic infection cases.

Melioidosis FAQs

Q1. What is the melioidosis infection?

Ans. It is a bacterial infection in people and animals. 

Q2. What is the causative agent of melioidosis?

Ans. The causative agent of melioidosis is the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei.

Q3. Is there a vaccine for melioidosis?

Ans. No, there is currently no approved vaccine for melioidosis.

Source: TH