A Case Report of Meilodosis

Abstract

Meilodosis is an infection caused by a gram negative bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei associated with high fatality rates. This organism is a widely distributed environmental saprophyte found in soil and stagnant water in the endemic regions of south East Asia and 1 Australia. It was first diagnosed in Burma by Captain Alfred Whitmore, and his assistant, C.S. 2 Krishnaswami in 1911. Meilodosis is an emerging pathogen in South India predominantly due to negligent management and a delayed diagnosis.The majority of the cases of B. pseudomallei infections are subclinicalwith the primary modality of transmission being through broken skin. The disease predominantly manifests in individuals 3 with diabetes mellitus, chronic renal disease and alcoholism. The majority of patients present 4 with pyrexia and localized skin ulcerations or abscesses. There is a high incidence of 5 pneumonia and septic shock following contamination. Transmission from a patient by droplet 6 spread is rare even with the presence of pulmonary melioidosis. Meliodosis of the head and neck region is not common, however it accounts for 40% of the cases of supportive parotitis in 7 children in Thailand and Cambodia. Diagnosis can be challenging due to its close symptomatic resemblance to tuberculosis. Isolation of the organism is difficult; this leads to poor identification of the causative agent and mismanagement.