News release

From: Menzies School of Health Research

What do hurricanes, military equipment, aromatherapy oil and a pet raccoon have in common? According to a new review led by Menzies School of Health Research (Menzies), all have been linked with cases of melioidosis, a potentially fatal disease caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, as part of tracking the global spread of the disease.

More than 60 countries are considered endemic to the disease, with Mali (Africa) and the State of Mississippi in the United States (and likely Georgia and Texas) the latest locations to be identified as endemic for melioidosis.

Published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, the review also reveals that changes in already known endemic regions are now being uncovered. For example, three strains that originated in Asia have entered and become established in tropical northern Australia, yet how this has happened remains unknown.

As more cases reveal the disease’s rapidly expanding global footprint, the findings highlight the strong need to take a public health approach to support prevention and timely diagnosis and treatment.

Soil disturbance and flooding, brought on by more frequent and severe weather events and urban development, increases the likelihood of exposure to the bacteria. Rates of infection are also being exacerbated by the rise in chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, which increases an individual’s susceptibility to infection.

The review highlights the need for strong laboratory capacity particularly in under-resourced settings across the globe, to support faster diagnosis and treatment of the condition. Melioidosis is often known as a great mimicker of infectious disease, where symptoms can be confused for tuberculosis or other conditions, and a delay in diagnosis can significantly impact a patient’s chance of survival.

Despite its relatively small population, the Northern Territory experiences one of the highest burdens of melioidosis, elevating the need to seriously consider and manage the risk of the disease, in the development of northern Australia.

Read more about these findings: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0014217

Quotes attributable to lead author of the paper, and Menzies School of Health Research Senior Principal Research Fellow, Professor Bart Currie:“In Australia we are very fortunate to have both laboratory and intensive care capacity that has brought down the mortality of melioidosis to under 10%.  Much of the world where melioidosis occurs is not so fortunate; many cases remain undiagnosed and mortality can still be 40%.”

“The global scientific effort addressing melioidosis is an example of long-term partnerships and collaborations that hopefully will be able to transcend current geopolitical upheavals.”

ENDS