What is Melioidosis?

According to a new study by researchers at the University of Oxford, India is one among the countries that are at a high risk from melioidosis, a highly contagious disease, if not treated in time, it can lead to death in a span of two days of contracting it.

Melioidosis

Melioidosis (also called as Whitmore’s disease) is a highly infectious disease caused by the gram-negative bacteriumBurkholderia (Pseudomonas) pseudomallei, also called Whitmore bacillus. The bacterium is commonly found in soil and fresh surface water in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia. The disease is contracted through the skin and lungs or by drinking contaminated water.

The symptoms of the disease include fever, convulsions, and shortness of breath. Patients with diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease or excessive alcohol intake people are more likely to contract melioidosis. The risk is also more for people who are regularly exposed to soil and water contact like rice farmers. The disease still has no licenced vaccine. The diagnosis of the disease is difficult as the disease mimics other diseases and it requires a good microbiology laboratory for identification of bacterial culture and to make an accurate diagnosis. As the bacterium is resistant to many of antimicrobials, any treatment which is inadequate may lead to fatality rates exceeding 70%.

Prevalence of the disease

The disease was first identified in Burma in 1911 among morphine addicts. The study by the experts estimated that the disease has killed around 89,000 of the 1,65,000 persons who are contracted with the disease in 2015. India reported the more number of malioidosis deaths, with more than 50% share. In India, rampant large-scale construction is reason for easy spread of the disease. The bacteria can be easily transported through dust or loose soil, which are common at construction sites. The study also highlighted the under-reporting of the disease. According to the estimates, the disease is under-reported in the 45 countries where it is known to be endemic. India is also classified as “endemic but under-reported”. The disease burden is predicted to increase in future as there is increasing incidence of diabetes mellitus in tropical areas, especially among the poor. The rise in international travel also poses the risk of spreading the disease to new areas.