Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei, pseudoglanders, Whitmore's disease)

• What is Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei, Psuedoglanders, Whitmore’s Disease)
• Statistics on Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei, Psuedoglanders, Whitmore’s Disease)
• Risk Factors for Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei, Psuedoglanders, Whitmore’s Disease)
• Progression of Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei, Psuedoglanders, Whitmore’s Disease)
• Symptoms of Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei, Psuedoglanders, Whitmore’s Disease)
• Clinical Examination of Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei, Psuedoglanders, Whitmore’s Disease)
• How is Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei, Psuedoglanders, Whitmore’s Disease) Treated?
• Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei, Psuedoglanders, Whitmore’s Disease) References

What is Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei, Psuedoglanders, Whitmore’s Disease)

Melioidosis, also called Whitmore’s disease, is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. Melioidosis is clinically and pathologically similar to Glanders disease, but the ecology and epidemiology of melioidosis are different from glanders. Melioidosis is predominately a disease of tropical climates, especially in Southeast Asia where it is endemic. The bacteria causing melioidosis are found in contaminated water and soil and are spread to humans and animals through direct contact with the contaminated source. Glanders is contracted by humans from infected domestic animals.

Statistics on Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei, Psuedoglanders, Whitmore’s Disease)

Melioidosis is endemic in Southeast Asia, with the greatest concentration of cases reported in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), and northern Australia.
Additionally, it is seen in the South Pacific, Africa, India, and the Middle East. In many of these countries, Burkholderia pseudomallei is so prevalent that it is a common contaminate found on laboratory cultures. Moreover, it has been a common pathogen isolated from troops of all nationalities that have served in areas with endemic disease.
A few isolated cases of melioidosis have occurred in the Western Hemisphere in Mexico, Panama, Ecuador, Haiti, Brazil, Peru, Guyana, and in the states of Hawaii and Georgia. In the United States, confirmed cases range from none to five each year and occur among travelers and immigrants.

Risk Factors for Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei, Psuedoglanders, Whitmore’s Disease)

Besides humans, many animal species are susceptible to melioidosis. These include sheep, goats, horses, swine, cattle, dogs, and cats. Transmission occurs by direct contact with contaminated soil and surface waters. In Southeast Asia, the organism has been repeatedly isolated from agriculture fields, with infection occurring primarily during the rainy season. Humans and animals are believed to acquire the infection by inhalation of dust, ingestion of contaminated water, and contact with contaminated soil especially through skin abrasions, and for military troops, by contamination of war wounds. Person-to-person transmission can occur. There is one report of transmission to a sister with diabetes who was the caretaker for her brother who had chronic melioidosis. Two cases of sexual transmission have been reported. Transmission in both cases was preceded by a clinical history of chronic prostatitis in the source patient.

How is Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei, Psuedoglanders, Whitmore’s Disease) Treated?

Most cases of melioidosis can be treated with appropriate antibiotics. Burkholderia psuedomallei, the organism that causes melioidosis, is usually sensitive to imipenem, penicillin, doxycycline, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, azlocillin, ceftazidime, ticarcillin-vulanic acid, ceftriaxone, and aztreonam. Treatment should be initiated early in the course of the disease. Although bloodstream infection with melioidosis can be fatal, the other types of the disease are nonfatal. The type of infection and the course of treatment can predict any long-term sequelae.

Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei, Psuedoglanders, Whitmore’s Disease) References

[1] Division of Bacterial and Myotic.
[2] eMedicine.