Burkholderia Pseudomallei Flashcards
Where can it be found?
In the environment (soil)
What is the disease it causes?
Melioidosis - tropical soil disease
What are the likely routes of infection?
Inhalation aerosolised bacterium from surface soils and water
Direct inoculation from skin abrasions or cuts
Who is at risk?
Immunocompromised (diabetics - 40-70%)
Occupational exposure to soil and surface waters - rice farmers
What is the common clinical presentations?
Septicaemia, pneumonia (acute or chronic), chronic infection can be mis-diagnosed as TB, abscess (acute or chronic)
How long is the incubation period?
Days to years
Why is it difficult to diagnose?
May affect almost any organ system
(e.g. multiple splenic abscess, pulmonary infections)
Explain the recrudescence (recurrence of symptoms after a period of remission or quiescence).
-May persist in body for months/years intracellularly
-May reactivate and cause disease
-May follow initial subclinical infection
How to diagnose?
Culture, serology
What is the treatment?
-Ceftazidime or Imipenem (at least 2 weeks IV)
-Oral maintenance (doxycycline, augmentin, chloramphenicol, co-trimoxazole >6months)
-Drain abscesses
How to classify?
Gram negative bacilli
Appearance of culture
Wrinkled colonies
