The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that the deadly bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei is present in soil and water samples from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The bacteria was previously found only in some parts of Southern Asia, Africa, and Australia. The bacteria can cause melioidosis, which is deadly in half of the cases worldwide.
Melioidosis in the Mississippi Gulf Coast
The CDC issued a health alert to physicians nationwide to be on the lookout for melioidosis symptoms such as cough, fever, and chest pain. However, these symptoms can be vague. An infected person may get disoriented in severe cases and acquire pneumonia-like symptoms and seizures.
Although the agency knows the existence of the bacteria on the gulf coast, it is unknown how long the bacteria has been in the environment or where else it may be found in the United States.
Dr. Jill Weatherhead, Houston's Baylor College of Medicine assistant professor of tropical medicine and infectious diseases, was not shocked that the bacterium had entered the country. She said that the subtropical climate on the Gulf Coast in the United States, which is warm and humid, is a great environment for the bacteria. She believes the bacterium has the potential to spread over the Gulf Coast and become endemic.
Although the bacteria has been discovered in soil and water in the United States, infectious disease experts believe the bacterium is unlikely to cause widespread harm. Dr. Chris Woods, a professor of medicine at the Duke Global Health Institute, said that it takes significant exposure to create illness in humans. The professor said such exposure includes open sores and ingestion. He claims this usually happens in areas where the bacterium has proliferated and become concentrated.
While specific intravenous antibiotics can treat melioidosis, experts say it might be challenging to get an accurate diagnosis in time to aid patients. People along the Gulf Coast should take extra measures when coming into contact with soil or muddy water. CDC recommends that they wear waterproof footwear to protect open wounds.
Melioidosis Cases in the US and Other Countries
According to a report by NBC News in October 2021, the same bacteria was discovered in contaminated aromatherapy room spray, which affected four people in Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota, and Texas. The instances had nothing to do with the current alert because the mist was imported from India, where Burkholderia pseudomallei is endemic. Two of the people died, including a 5-year-old boy. The other two individuals were left with lasting physical and mental health issues.
Walmart recalled approximately 4,000 imported bottles of its Better Homes & Gardens Lavender & Chamomile Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstone.
According to the international weekly general medical journal, The Lancet, South Asia is expected to bear 44% of the world's illness burden. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are regarded as endemic for melioidosis in South Asian countries; a few instances have been documented in Nepal, and a few imported cases from Pakistan have also been reported. In recent years, the number of melioidosis patients in India has increased. The bacteria are naturally found in soil and enter the human body through skin abrasions, inhalation, or ingestion.
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