Melioidosis: Case reports of confirmed Burkholderia pseudomallei in Saudi Arabia

J Infect Public Health. 2020 May;13(5):824-826. doi: 10.1016/j.jiph.2020.01.310. Epub 2020 Mar 7.

Abstract

Melioidosis is an infectious disease of tropical climates. The disease is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. Most cases are diagnosed in southeast Asia and northern Australia. Some imported cases diagnosed in returning tourists, soldiers, and immigrants from endemic areas. It caught much attention since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) designated B. pseudomallei as an agent for biological warfare and terrorism. We describe two cases of a 26-year-old Saudi woman who had fulminant sepsis soon after returning from Thailand & a 48-year-old woman with a long history of fever. B. pseudomallei was isolated from both patients blood cultures, and they had different consequences. A confirmed case of melioidosis was not reported before in Saudi Arabia.

Keywords: Burkholderia pseudomallei; Melioidosis; Patient's; Saudi Arabia; South East Asia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Burkholderia pseudomallei / isolation & purification*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Melioidosis / diagnosis*
  • Melioidosis / drug therapy
  • Meropenem / therapeutic use
  • Middle Aged
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
  • Thailand
  • Thorax / diagnostic imaging
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Travel
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Meropenem