the bacterium that causes melioidosis, detected for the first time on the mainland

For the first time, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (CDC) have identified through household environmental samples the bacterium that causes melioidosisa rare and serious disease.

As explained by the U.S. agency earlier this week, the bacteria, known as. Burkholderia pseudomalleiwas identified through soil and water sampling in the region of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

This investigation was conducted after two unrelated individuals living in close geographic proximity in the region contracted this disease within the past two years. Three of the samples taken from soil and puddle water in 2022 tested positive, indicating that environmental bacteria were the likely source of infection for both individuals.

Possibility of endemicity.

Despite the fact that researchers are not yet clear how long this bacterium has been in the environment – nor where else in the country it might be found – the results point to conditions found in the states where the bacterium has been detected being conducive to its growth, thus could become endemic.

After spreading the news, from the CDC is alerting U.S. physicians. about this discovery through a “national health advisory“reminding them to be aware of the signs and symptoms of melioidosis and to consider it in patients exhibiting the signs of the disease.

Symptoms of melioidosis

The symptoms of this condition depend very much on the type of infection and the medical characteristics of the patient. However, among the most prominent consequences of human melioidosis are the fever, joint pain, and headaches.

As explained by the CDC itself through the alert disseminated, patients may also suffer from bloodstream involvement, pneumonia or abscess formation.

Estimated hazard

It should be noted that, according to data provided by the CDC, most healthy people who have direct contact with the bacteria do not develop the disease. However, among those who do develop the disease, health authorities report that the range of the overall mortality rate ranges from 10% to 50%..

It is a rare disease, which affects on average only 12 people per year in the United States.and therefore its incidence is low. The U.S. agency indicates that a large proportion of those affected had either traveled to countries where the bacterium is endemic or had consumed products from there.

The possibility of transmission from one person to another is very remote, just as it is not believed that insects can be transmitters.