Medknow Publications on behalf of Indian Association of Medical Microbiology
Abstract
Clinico-microbiological analysis of a series of 25 patients with
culture proven melioidosis was done. All patients came from the coastal
regions of Kerala and Karnataka and presented between June 2005 to July
2006. They were analysed with respect to clinical presentation,
occupation, epidemiology and microbiological features. No single
presenting clinical feature was found to be typical of melioidosis. The
disease was found to mimic a variety of conditions, including
tuberculosis and malignancy. Burkholderia pseudomallei was isolated
from blood, sputum, pus, urine, synovial, peritoneal and pericardial
fluids. Diabetes mellitus was the most common predisposing factor and
80% of the cases presented during the Southwest monsoon (June to
September). It is probable that melioidosis is highly prevalent in
western coastal India and yet, greatly underestimated. Better
awareness, both among clinicians and microbiologists, coupled with
improved diagnostic methods to allow early diagnosis and hence early
treatment, will significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality
associated with this disease
