National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Melioidosis


Other Names:
Burkholderia pseudomallei infection; B pseudomallei infection; Whitmore disease; Burkholderia pseudomallei infection; B pseudomallei infection; Whitmore disease; Nightcliff gardener's disease See More
Categories:
Melioidosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei that are commonly found in the soil and water.[1] Melioidosis is a rare disease in the United States, but it is common in tropical or subtropical areas of the world, including Southeast Asia, Africa, and Australia.[2][3] The signs and symptoms of the disease can vary greatly and may mimic those of tuberculosis or common forms of pneumonia.[4] Signs and symptoms may include pain or swelling, fever, abscess, cough, high fever, headache, trouble breathing, and more.[4] Although healthy people can also experience signs and symptoms of the disease, people with certain conditions like diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, lung disease, thalassemia, cancer, or certain autoimmune diseases are more severely affected.[4] Diagnosis is made by collecting blood, sputum, urine, or pus samples and growing the bacteria.[2] Current treatment is divided into two stages: an intravenous (IV) antibiotic stage and oral antibiotic maintenance stage to prevent recurrence.[2]
Last updated: 1/13/2016

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • You can obtain information on this topic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC is recognized as the lead federal agency for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States.

In-Depth Information

  • CheckOrphan has a webpage with information about symptoms, prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and more. 
  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Melioidosis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Selected Full-Text Journal Articles

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  1. Angus Chen. This Germ Can Live Decades In Distilled Water, Kill Humans In 48 Hours. National Public Radio. January 12, 2016; http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/01/11/462416728/this-germ-can-live-decades-in-distilled-water-kill-humans-in-48-hours.
  2. Melioidosis. CheckOrphan. http://www.checkorphan.org/diseases/meliodosis. Accessed 1/13/2016.
  3. Melioidosis. Virginia Department of Health. August, 2013; http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/Epidemiology/factsheets/pdf/Melioidosis.pdf.
  4. Melioidosis: Signs and Symptoms. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. October 22, 2012; http://www.cdc.gov/melioidosis/signs-symptoms.html.