Melioidosis Takes 2 Lives in the US: What Are the Symptoms, Diagnosis of This Rare Bacterial Disease?

Two lives were taken by a bacterial disease more typical in Australia and Asia than in the US. The specified disease is known as Whitmore's disease or melioidosis. It was recorded to affect a total of four people in the country, including children and adults from Texas, Kansas, Minnesota, and Georgia, according to US News.

Melioidosis Cases Recorded in the United States

Melioidosis' first victim was recorded in Kansas last March and died. In a separate case, the patient in Georgia died as well in a hospital, and the cause of death in July was confirmed to be melioidosis. The remaining two patients are identified to have risk factors, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cirrhosis. However, the other half of the bacterial disease patients have not recorded risk factors.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a statement regarding melioidosis cases. The health agency informed experts to be vigilant about bacterial infections that do not have any recorded response to the typical antibiotics. CDC also confirmed that the disease could potentially be present in people and children who have no recent international travel history.

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What Is Melioidosis?

Melioidosis, or Whitmore's disease, is an infectious, deadly disease caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. The bacterial infection is mostly present in regions with a tropical climate. Some of the countries that have active melioidosis are northern Australia and Southeast Asia. Melioidosis is proven to be transmissible between humans and animals through contaminated water and soil. CDC informed that direct contact, including inhalation or ingestion of dust and water droplets, is the possible transmission process to be infected with the disease. However, transmission from person to person is very unlikely and cannot be passed through respiratory aerosols and droplets.

What Are Its Symptoms?

Melioidosis has symptoms that are very similar to other types of disease, including tuberculosis, among others. The recent melioidosis patients were recorded to experience weakness, shortness of breath, cough, fever, and rashes on the face and abdomen. Underlying diseases such as diabetes and kidney problems, as well as excessive alcohol intake, can increase the risk of melioidosis.

The bacterial strains of melioidosis are the same based on the recorded data between the four cases and the strains found in Southeast Asia. This puzzled experts, as there were no international travels recorded from the patients. In addition, over 100 soil samples from the patients' residences have been tested, but none of the samples tested positive for melioidosis.

Seek Immediate Diagnosis for Treatment

CDC informed the public through their statement that there are no clues yet regarding the origin of melioidosis in the US. Melioidosis takes 2-3 weeks to manifest symptoms prior to the initial contraction. A previous study published in the journal Nature Microbiology, titled "Predicted Global Distribution of Burkholderia Pseudomallei and Burden of Melioidosis," shows 89,000 deaths recorded in 165,000 cases of melioidosis each year. CDC emphasized that people who experience high fever, cough, headache, or unexplained weight loss should seek a medical diagnosis as soon as possible.