Written by Goonj Gautam | Art by Anoushka Pandya
Melioidiosis goes by many names: Whitmore’s Disease, Nightcliff gardener’s disease, Vietnamese time bomb and more. Although extremely rare in the United States and the rest of the western hemisphere, this disease occurs commonly in southeast Asia, such as India, southern China, Thailand, and northern Australia.
This infectious disease is specifically caused by a bacteria, named Burkholderia pseudomallei, which is found in contaminated water and soil. It spreads to those who are in contact with said source of bacteria. Although highly similar to the Glanders disease, the Glanders disease is instead spread through contact of infectious animals. While person to person transmission is rare, melioidosis has been more commonly documented in vertical transmission, direct contact to the soil or through battle wounds, inhalation of contaminated dust, and many other methods. Infections primarily occur during the rainy season, also known as the monsoon season. It’s also rarely found in children under the age of 15, typically affecting the adult population who already have certain underlying conditions.
There are many variations in the symptoms and experience of melioidosis. The only sure methods to diagnose it is by extracting the bacteria from the liquids of the human body, such as blood, urine, and sputum, or skin lesions, or by detecting the antibodies to the bacteria in the blood. An interesting fact to be noted is that the time period between exposure and the display of symptoms varies from person to person, ranging from a few days to many years. The variations of melioidosis are many, with pulmonary melioidiosis, localized melioidiosis, disseminated infection, and acute bloodstream infection being the primary ones. Melioidiosis can also cause complications, ranging from bone infection and joint infection to acute respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis.
Thankfully, there is a way to treat melioidiosis. It’s typically treated in two phases of antibiotics: the intensive phase and the eradication phase. In the intensive phase, which comes first, the patient is usually given ceftazidime, meropenem, or imipenem through an IV for 10-14 days. In the second phase, or the eradication phase, antibiotics, such as amoxicillin or trimethoprim, will be given in the form of pills for about 3-6 months. Depending on the severity of the disease, additional treatments, such as abscess draining, may be required. Although relapse can occur, melioidiosis can be cured and the patient can make a full recovery. However, if left untreated for too long, this disease can progressively worsen and become fatal.
As for any other disease, the best method is prevention. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for melioidosis; however, it can be prevented using other methods, such as limiting contact with contaminated soil and water. If not possible, one should then wear boots to prevent infection through the lower part of your body. It is also more likely to occur in people with diabetes, alcohol use disorders, a chronic lung disease, or any others. It is best to ask your healthcare provider about appropriate lifestyles and actions if you have an underlying disease.
Works Cited
“1 Melioidiosis Fact Sheet.” Pennsylvania Department of Health, 6 Feb. 2013, http://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/health/documents/topics/documents/diseases-and-conditions/Melioidiosis.pdf.
“About Melioidosis.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 Aug. 2005, http://www.cdc.gov/melioidosis/about/index.html.
“Melioidosis: Causes, Symptoms, Transmission & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic, 23 Aug. 2022, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24051-melioidosis.
Leave a Reply