Fatal human melioidosis in south‐eastern Queensland

Ia, Scott; Am, Bell; Dr, Staines

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.1997.tb140075.x

Cited by 21 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…), 8 years after the last documented melioidosis case in the Avon Valley region, the ongoing presence of B. pseudomallei in this region cannot be definitively ruled out. Unusually high rainfall or flooding in Avon Valley may unmask further cases in the region, potentially when immunocompromised individuals are exposed to the pathogen via waterlogged soil or floodwater, as has occurred in temperate Queensland and Central Australia (Munckhof et al , 2001; Scott et al , 1997; Yip et al , 2015). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Whole-genome sequencing of a quarter-century melioidosis outbreak in temperate Australia uncovers a region of low-prevalence endemicity

et al. 2016

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Melioidosis, caused by the highly recombinogenic bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, is a disease with high mortality. Tracing the origin of melioidosis outbreaks and understanding how the bacterium spreads and persists in the environment are essential to protecting public and veterinary health and reducing mortality associated with outbreaks. We used whole-genome sequencing to compare isolates from a historical quarter-century outbreak that occurred between 1966 and 1991 in the Avon Valley, Western Australia, a region far outside the known range of B. pseudomallei endemicity. All Avon Valley outbreak isolates shared the same multilocus sequence type (ST-284), which has not been identified outside this region. We found substantial genetic diversity among isolates based on a comparison of genome-wide variants, with no clear correlation between genotypes and temporal, geographical or source data. We observed little evidence of recombination in the outbreak strains, indicating that genetic diversity among these isolates has primarily accrued by mutation. Phylogenomic analysis demonstrated that the isolates confidently grouped within the Australian B. pseudomallei clade, thereby ruling out introduction from a melioidosis-endemic region outside Australia. Collectively, our results point to B. pseudomallei ST-284 being present in the Avon Valley for longer than previously recognized, with its persistence and genomic diversity suggesting long-term, low-prevalence endemicity in this temperate region. Our findings provide a concerning demonstration of the potential for environmental persistence of B. pseudomallei far outside the conventional endemic regions. An expected increase in extreme weather events may reactivate latent B. pseudomallei populations in this region.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Whole-genome sequencing of a quarter-century melioidosis outbreak in temperate Australia uncovers a region of low-prevalence endemicity

et al. 2016

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“…Acquisition of melioidosis in temperate south eastern Queensland has previously been reported. 18 There have been four previous reports of B pseudomallei infection in CF. [2][3][4][5] The first two were visitors to an endemic area with infection apparently acquired during vacation in south east Asia.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Burkholderia pseudomallei: another emerging pathogen in cystic fibrosis

O’Carroll

Kidd²,

Coulter³

et al. 2003

Thorax

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“…1 Two fatal cases of human melioidosis have also been reported in Queensland, Australia, with disease onset preceded by unseasonal heavy rainfall. 39 A subsequent study in Queensland demonstrated that the timing and location of 47 melioidosis cases was generally correlated with rainfall across northern Australia, with a case cluster associated with post-cyclonic flooding. 40 In another study from northern Australia involving 318 cases, rainfall in the 14 days before hospital admission was found to be an independent risk factor for pneumonia, septic shock and death, suggesting that heavy monsoonal rains and winds may cause a shift toward inhalation of B. pseudomallei .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Although correlation with humidity has not been reported previously, studies have associated human melioidosis with rainfall, suggesting that the infection may result from acute exposure to the organism in the soil and water. 9,23,28,32,38,39 A case of fulminant infection was reported following exposure to stagnant floodwater in India. 1 Two fatal cases of human melioidosis have also been reported in Queensland, Australia, with disease onset preceded by unseasonal heavy rainfall.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Burkholderia pseudomallei in soil samples from an oceanarium in Hong Kong detected using a sensitive PCR assay

Lau

Chan²,

Curreem

et al. 2014

Emerging Microbes & Infections

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Melioidosis, caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is an emerging infectious disease with an expanding geographical distribution. Although assessment of the environmental load of B. pseudomallei is important for risk assessment in humans or animals in endemic areas, traditional methods of bacterial culture for isolation have low sensitivities and are labor-intensive. Using a specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting a Tat domain protein in comparison with a bacterial culture method, we examined the prevalence of B. pseudomallei in soil samples from an oceanarium in Hong Kong where captive marine mammals and birds have contracted melioidosis. Among 1420 soil samples collected from various sites in the oceanarium over a 15-month period, B. pseudomallei was detected in nine (0.6%) soil samples using bacterial culture, whereas it was detected in 96 (6.8%) soil samples using the specific PCR assay confirmed by sequencing. The PCR-positive samples were detected during various months, with higher detection rates observed during summer months. Positive PCR detection was significantly correlated with ambient temperature (P<0.0001) and relative humidity (P=0.011) but not with daily rainfall (P=0.241) or a recent typhoon (P=0.787). PCR-positive samples were obtained from all sampling locations, with the highest detection rate in the valley. Our results suggest that B. pseudomallei is prevalent and endemic in the oceanarium. The present PCR assay is more sensitive than the bacterial culture method, and it may be used to help better assess the transmission of melioidosis and to design infection control measures for captive animals in this unique and understudied environment.

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Fatal human melioidosis in south‐eastern Queensland

Cited by 21 publications

References 9 publications

Whole-genome sequencing of a quarter-century melioidosis outbreak in temperate Australia uncovers a region of low-prevalence endemicity

Whole-genome sequencing of a quarter-century melioidosis outbreak in temperate Australia uncovers a region of low-prevalence endemicity

Burkholderia pseudomallei: another emerging pathogen in cystic fibrosis

Burkholderia pseudomallei in soil samples from an oceanarium in Hong Kong detected using a sensitive PCR assay

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