Melioidosis: a poorly known tropical disease
Abbas, M.; Emonet, S.; Schrenzel, J.; Merlani, P.; Loutan, L.; Gétaz, L.
Revue Medicale Suisse 7(294): 1000; 1002-1005
2011
ISSN/ISBN: 1660-9379 PMID: 21692313 Document Number: 651920
A 35 year-old man was admitted to the hospital for fever upon returning from the Caribbean area. He died 48 hours later, after developing pulmonary lesions that were complicated by multi-organ failure, despite rapid diagnosis of melioidosis by mass spectrometry on blood cultures. Melioidosis is a rare bacterial disease in the traveller that is caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei. Although the clinical presentation is variable, pneumonia is the most frequent finding. Diagnosis may be considered in travellers returning from tropical and subtropical regions, especially during rainy seasons. Accordingly, when confronted with a patient who presents with fever after travelling, it is important to carefully specify the regions visited, potential expositions, and rapidly offer adequate laboratory testing.