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Melioidosis - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Melioidosis : What is melioidosis?
Melioidosis is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium called "Pseudomonas pseudomallei."
Where does melioidosis occur?
Melioidosis is most frequently reported in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. The bacteria that causes the disease is found in the soil, rice
paddies, and stagnant waters of the area. People get the disease by inhaling dust contaminated by the bacteria and when the contaminated soil comes in contact with abraded (scaped) area of the
skin.
How does melioidosis affect a patient?
Melioidosis most commonly involves the lungs where the infection can form a cavity of pus (abscess). It can spread from the skin through
the blood to affect the heart, brain, liver, kidneys, joints, and eyes. Patients can have associated headaches, fever, chills, cough, chest pain, and/or loss of appetite.
How is melioidosis diagnosed?
Melioidosis is diagnosed with a microscopic evaluation of a sputum sample in the laboratory. A blood test is useful to detect early acute cases of
melioidosis, but it can not exclude the illness if it is negative.
How is melioidosis treated?
The treatment of melioidosis involves antibiotics and depends on the location of the disease. For patients with more mild illness, antibiotics such as
chloramphenicol, Melioidosis At A Glance - Melioidosis is an infectious disease caused by a bacteria, Pseudomonas pseudomallei.
- Melioidosis infection commonly involves the
lungs.
- Melioidosis is diagnosed with the help of sputum testing.
- Melioidosis is treated with antibiotics.
Based on University of Miami School of Medicine [Medical_Dictionary]:
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Melioidosis : Melioidosis: An infectious illness, also called Whitmore's disease, that is most frequent in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia and is caused by a bacteria called "Pseudomonas
pseudomallei" found in soil, rice paddies and stagnant waters. Humans catch the disease by inhalation of contaminated dust or when soil contaminated by the bacteria comes in contact with abraded
(scraped) skin.
Melioidosis most commonly involves the lungs where the infection can form a cavity of pus (abscess). The bacteria can also spread from the skin through the bloodstream the brain, eyes, heart,
liver, kidneys, and joints.
The common symptoms of melioidosis are not specific. They include headaches, fever , chills, cough, chest pain, and loss of appetite. Melioidosis can also cause encephalitis (brain inflammation)
with seizures (convulsions).
The diagnosis is by a microscopic evaluation of a sputum (spit) sample in the laboratory. A blood test may detect early acute cases of melioidosis.
The treatment of melioidosis involves antibiotics and depends on the location of the disease: - Mild illness: Antibiotics such as chloramphenicol, doxycycline, sulfisoxazole, or
trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.
- More severe illness: A combination of chloramphenicol, doxycycline, and co-trimoxazole.
- Very severe illness (as with persistent blood infection):
Intravenous antibiotics including chloramphenicol.
- If sputum cultures remain positive for 6 months: Surgical removal of the lung abscess with lobectomy is considered. Antibiotic treatments may
be necessary from 3 to 12 months.
Melioidosis can remain latent (in hiding) for years and emerge when a person's resistance is low.
The alternative name for melioidosis is, as mentioned, Whitmore's disease. This is in honor of Major Alfred Whitmore (1876-1946), an English surgeon in India.
Based on University of Miami School of Medicine [Medical_Dictionary]:
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