Endemic Melioidosis in Residents of Desert Region after Atypically Intense Rainfall in Central Australia, 2011

Yip, Teem Wing; Hewagama, Saliya; Mayo, Mark; Price, Erin P.; Sarovich, Derek S.; Bastian, Ivan; Baird, Robert W.; Spratt, Brian G.; Currie, Bart J.

doi:10.3201/eid2106.141908

Cited by 35 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…This is also supported by a recent finding of the presence of B. pseudomallei in a desert region outside the wet tropics in northern Australia (29). …”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Soil Nutrient Depletion Is Associated with the Presence of Burkholderia pseudomallei

Hantrakun

Rongkard

Oyuchua

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Burkholderia pseudomallei is a soil-dwelling bacterium and the cause of melioidosis, which kills an estimated 89,000 people per year worldwide. Agricultural workers are at high risk of infection due to repeated exposure to the bacterium. Little is known about the soil physicochemical properties associated with the presence or absence of the organism. Here, we evaluated the soil physicochemical properties and presence of B. pseudomallei in 6,100 soil samples collected from 61 rice fields in Thailand. The presence of B. pseudomallei was negatively associated with the proportion of clay, proportion of moisture, level of salinity, percentage of organic matter, presence of cadmium, and nutrient levels (phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron). The presence of B. pseudomallei was not associated with the level of soil acidity (P = 0.54). In a multivariable logistic regression model, the presence of B. pseudomallei was negatively associated with the percentage of organic matter (odds ratio [OR], 0.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01 to 0.47; P = 0.007), level of salinity (OR, 0.06; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.74; P = 0.03), and percentage of soil moisture (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.66 to 1.00; P = 0.05). Our study suggests that B. pseudomallei thrives in rice fields that are nutrient depleted. Some agricultural practices result in a decline in soil nutrients, which may impact the presence and amount of B. pseudomallei bacteria in affected areas.IMPORTANCE Burkholderia pseudomallei is an environmental Gram-negative bacillus and the cause of melioidosis. Humans acquire the disease following skin inoculation, inhalation, or ingestion of the bacterium in the environment. The presence of B. pseudomallei in soil defines geographic regions where humans and livestock are at risk of melioidosis, yet little is known about the soil properties associated with the presence of the organism. We evaluated the soil properties and presence of B. pseudomallei in 61 rice fields in East, Central, and Northeast Thailand. We demonstrated that the organism was more commonly found in soils with lower levels of organic matter and nutrients, including phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron. We also demonstrated that crop residue burning after harvest, which can reduce soil nutrients, was not uncommon. Some agricultural practices result in a decline in soil nutrients, which may impact the presence and amount of B. pseudomallei bacteria in affected areas.

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“…This is also supported by a recent finding of the presence of B. pseudomallei in a desert region outside the wet tropics in northern Australia (29). …”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Soil Nutrient Depletion Is Associated with the Presence of Burkholderia pseudomallei

Hantrakun

Rongkard

Oyuchua

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…Our most southerly B. pseudomalleipositive environmental samples were found in a water hole south of Tennant Creek, at a remote location at latitude 21°S. Although sporadic clinical cases of melioidosis have occurred further south than this location, 18 we have not recovered B. pseudomallei from environmental samples south of 21°S in the Northern Territory.…”

mentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Although melioidosis is highly endemic in the tropical Top End, sporadic cases are occasionally seen in the normally arid Central Australia, south of latitude 20°S, such as occurred following unusually heavy rain in 2011. 18 Herein we report the geographical distribution of B. pseudomallei STs within the Northern Territory. We use data from over 3,000 environmental strains collected since 1991 at the Menzies School of Health Research in Darwin, Australia.…”

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confidence: 99%

Burkholderia pseudomallei Genotype Distribution in the Northern Territory, Australia

Chapple

Price

Sarovich

et al. 2016

The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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Melioidosis is a tropical disease of high mortality caused by the environmental bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei. We have collected clinical isolates from the highly endemic Northern Territory of Australia routinely since 1989, and animal and environmental B. pseudomallei isolates since 1991. Here we provide a complete record of all B. pseudomallei multilocus sequence types (STs) found in the Northern Territory to date, and distribution maps of the eight most common environmental STs. We observed surprisingly restricted geographic distributions of STs, which is contrary to previous reports suggesting widespread environmental dissemination of this bacterium. Our data suggest that B. pseudomallei from soil and water does not frequently disperse long distances following severe weather events or by migration of infected animals.

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“…Melioidosis is caused by the Gram‐negative bacillus Burkholderia pseudomallei , an environmental organism endemic to northern Australia and southeast Asia between the latitudes of 20 ° N and 20 ° S. Outside of these areas, melioidosis is thought to occur rarely . In Australia, the endemic boundaries of melioidosis are less clear, but in addition to reports of isolated animal and human cases related to the traffic of livestock from the northern Australia, there is evidence of local acquisition of melioidosis in subtropical and desert areas south of 20 ° S, especially following heavy rain events …”

Section: Clinical Characteristics Co‐morbidities and Outcome For Patmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1 In Australia, the endemic boundaries of melioidosis are less clear, but in addition to reports of isolated animal and human cases related to the traffic of livestock from the northern Australia, 2 there is evidence of local acquisition of melioidosis in subtropical and desert areas south of 20 S, especially following heavy rain events. 3,4 Transmission of B. pseudomallei usually occurs following contact with soil or water containing the bacterium during occupational or recreational activities. The clinical manifestations of melioidosis range from asymptomatic seroconversion, cutaneous infection, pneumonia, multiple abscesses, severe septicaemia and death.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical features and outcome of patients with cutaneous melioidosis during a nosocomial outbreak in a temperate region of Australia

Clark

Merritt

Inglis

et al. 2018

Internal Medicine Journal

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Endemic Melioidosis in Residents of Desert Region after Atypically Intense Rainfall in Central Australia, 2011

Cited by 35 publications

References 14 publications

Soil Nutrient Depletion Is Associated with the Presence of Burkholderia pseudomallei

Soil Nutrient Depletion Is Associated with the Presence of Burkholderia pseudomallei

Burkholderia pseudomallei Genotype Distribution in the Northern Territory, Australia

Clinical features and outcome of patients with cutaneous melioidosis during a nosocomial outbreak in a temperate region of Australia

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