Melioidosis, a Disease of Rodents Communicable to Man

Characterization of the role of the Burkholderia pseudomallei type 3 secretion system using in vivo imaging.

“…Institute for Medical Research in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, isolated the same bacterium [2]. The cause of these outbreaks was again mistakenly concluded to be B. mallei, as clinical manifestations of B. pseudomallei pathology closely resembled those seen in glanders patients.…”

“…Lung smears from the diseased man, identified the bacterium as a Gram-negative, non-motile organism that resembled Burkholderia mallei, the etiological agent of glanders, in both shape and size [1,2].…”

“…Standard bacteriological examinations revealed that the organism isolated from the diseased lung yielded an abundant number of bacteria in broth culture after a three-day growth period [1,2]. Curiously, this "rapid and luxuriant growth" in culture was unlike that of B. mallei, and male guinea pigs infected via intraperitoneal inoculation with the bacterium in question expired without inflammation of the testicles, a hallmark of glanders infection in male guinea pigs [1].…”

“…In broth culture, the bacillus was capable of rapid, abundant growth under aerobic and anaerobic conditions with formation of a thin white surface layer or pellicle and a thick bacterial aggregate undermost after extended periods of growth [1,2]. Further, bacilli in young cultures expressed motility of a "serpentine character," which was later lost [1].…”

“…Further, bacilli in young cultures expressed motility of a "serpentine character," which was later lost [1]. In agar, young bacterial colonies appeared moist and translucent, thickening into cream-colored colonies and shifting to wrinkled, pink-hued colonies after extended periods of growth [1,2].…”