Melioidosis of the Female Genitourinary Tract.

Prostatic abscess is a common manifestation of melioidosis in men, but the characteristics of female genitourinary melioidosis are incompletely defined. There were 453 cases of melioidosis in Far North Queensland, tropical Australia, between January 1998 and April 2023; genitourinary involvement was less common in women than in men (13/140 [9%] versus 76/313 [24%], odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.32 [0.17-0.60], P = 0.0004). In 11 of these 13 (85%) women, other organs were also affected. The two women with disease involving only the genitourinary tract had underlying anatomical abnormalities: one had an ovarian malignancy, the only case to involve the female reproductive system in the cohort, while the other had a urethral diverticulum. In 3 of 13 (23%) women, genitourinary involvement was identified only with computed tomography, emphasizing the importance of early imaging of patients with melioidosis to identify unexpected foci of disease and to inform the optimal duration of antibiotic therapy.

Clinical-radiological features and diagnostic modalities for mediastinal melioidosis.

Melioidosis is a potentially life-threatening infection caused by the Gram-negative bacillus Burkholderia pseudomallei. Mediastinal melioidosis has a range of clinical presentations, making it difficult to diagnose: we therefore reviewed the evidence on the clinical characteristics, radiological features and invasive diagnostic modalities or interventions. An electronic search was conducted on three databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, Google Scholar) from November to December 2022. The initial search yielded 120 results, of which 34 studies met the inclusion criteria, but only 31 full-texts were retrievable. Among these, 4 were cohort studies, 26 case reports or series and 1 a conference abstract. The four main themes covered were mediastinal melioidosis as a diagnostic dilemma, unexpected complications, invasive interventions or an accompanying thoracic feature. Radiological manifestations included matting, necrosis and abscess-like collection. Severe presentations of mediastinal melioidosis included superior vena cava obstruction, sinus tract formation and pericardial tamponade. Transbronchial needle aspiration was the most common invasive diagnostic modality. Further research is needed to understand the relationship between the thoracic features of melioidosis on patient prognosis, its relationship to melioidosis transmission and potential preventive measures.

Craniospinal MRI Findings in Neuromelioidosis.

Background: Melioidosis is a bacterial infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei that is endemic in Southeast Asia, northern Australia, and Africa. Neurological involvement is rare and reported in 3-5% of total cases. Objective: The purpose of this study was to report a series of cases of melioidosis with neurological involvement and a brief review of the literature. Materials and Methods: We collected the data from six melioidosis patients having neurological involvement. Clinical, biochemical, and imaging findings were analyzed. Result: All patients in our study were adults (age range 27 to 73 years). The presenting symptoms were fever of varying duration (range 15 days to 2 months). Altered sensorium was noted in five patients. Four cases had brain abscess, one had meningitis, and one had a spinal epidural abscess. All cases of brain abscesses were T2 hyperintense with an irregular wall showing central diffusion restriction and irregular peripheral enhancement. The trigeminal nucleus was involved in one patient, but there was no enhancement of the trigeminal nerve. Extension along the white matter tract was noted in two patients. Magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy done in two patients showed increased lipid/lactate and choline peak in both of them. Conclusion: Melioidosis can present as multiple micro-abscesses in the brain. Involvement of the trigeminal nucleus and extension along the corticospinal tract may raise the possibility of infection by B. pseudomallei. Meningitis and dural sinus thrombosis, although rare, can be presenting features.

Imaging manifestations of pulmonary melioidosis: A case series.

Melioidosis is an endemic disease in Southeast Asia and Oceania caused by the gram-negative bacillus Burkholderia pseudomallei. We studied 15 adult patients from Colombia with microbiologically diagnosed pulmonary melioidosis. We reviewed 15 chest X-rays and 10 chest computed tomography (CT) studies. Of the 15 patients, 87% met the criteria for acute infection and 13% met the criteria for chronic infection. The most common findings on chest X-rays were consolidation (86%), nodules (26%), and cavitation (20%). On CT studies, consolidation and nodules were observed in 90% of cases; the areas of consolidation were predominantly located in the basal and central zones in 60%. Areas of cavitation were observed in 50%, pleural effusion in 60%, and mediastinal lymph nodes in 30%. In patients with acute pulmonary melioidosis (n=8), the findings observed were nodules (100%), mixed pattern with nodules and consolidation (87%), pleural effusion (88%), and mediastinal lymph nodes (25%). The two patients with chronic pulmonary melioidosis both had cavitation. Acute lung infection with B. Pseudomallei has radiologic manifestations similar to those of pneumonia due to other causes. In areas where the disease is endemic, it is essential to include acute melioidosis in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary nodules and chronic melioidosis in the differential diagnosis of cavitated chronic lung lesions.

Case report long segment myelitis secondary to neuro melioidosis.

BACKGROUND: Neuro-melioidosis, comprising 4% of all cases of melioidosis carries a risk of high morbidity and mortality. We describe two Sri Lankan patients presenting with long segment myelitis secondary to melioidosis. CASE PRESENTATION: Case 1: 47-year-old male presented with right side hemiparesis which progressed rapidly to quadriparesis. Initial cerebro spinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed protein 76 mg/dl and glucose 72 mg/dl but without a cellular reaction. MRI spine revealed long segment myelitis with contrast enhancement. The patient was treated with intravenous methyl prednisolone pulses (IV MPP) and plasma exchanges(PLEX) on suspicion of an immune mediated myelitis but without success. A repeat MRI revealed high signal changes in the brain stem and along the entire spinal cord with contrast enhancement. MRI brain after treatment with MPP/PLEX showed enhancing hyper intensities along the corticospinal tracts. The repeat CSF revealed protein 1187 mg/dl, glucose 78 mg/dl, lymphocytes 1600/mm3 and neutrophils 10,200/mm3. CSF culture has become positive for Burkholderia pseudomallei. Serum melioidosis antibody titre was 1: 320. He was started on IV meropenem with oral cotrimoxazole for 12 weeks followed by oral co trimoxazole. But he had poor clinical recovery. Case 2: 47-year-old female presented with bilateral lower limb weakness for 1-week duration. On examination, she had flaccid paraparesis with a sensory level at T11. Inflammatory markers were elevated. CSF analysis revealed protein 50 mg/dl with lymphocytes 172/mm3. MRI pan spine revealed a long segment myelitis. Serum melioidosis antibody titre was 1: 640. She was treated with IV meropenem for 8 weeks followed by oral co-trimoxazole with an excellent clinical and radiological response. CONCLUSION: Numerous neurological manifestations have been described with melioidosis, however long segment myelitis with a positive CSF culture is not yet reported. These cases signify the importance of considering melioidosis as a differential in patients with long segment myelitis especially in endemic areas.

Disseminated Melioidosis with Spinal Intraosseous Abscess.

Melioidosis is endemic in the State of Sabah, Malaysia. We report a case of a 34-year-old man with one-week history of fever and cough, three days history of diarrhoea and vomiting, which was associated with a loss of appetite and loss of weight for one-month. Clinically, he had hepatosplenomegaly and crepitation over his right lower zone of lung. Chest radiograph showed right lower lobe consolidation. Ultrasound abdomen showed liver and splenic abscesses. Ultrasound guided drainage of splenic abscess yielded Burkholderia pseudomallei. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lumbosacral confirmed right sacral intraosseous abscess after he developed back pain a week later. He received 6 weeks of intravenous antibiotics and oral co-trimoxazole, followed by 6 months oral co-trimoxazole and had full recovery.

Case Report: Ascending Myelo-Encephalitis after a Penetrating Injury to the Foot: An Atypical Case of Neuromelioidosis.

Organisms penetrate the central nervous system (CNS) via three routes. The commonest is the hematogenous route, and other routes include contiguous or penetrating injury or rarely via retrograde axoplasmic route. Although the axoplasmic highway is often used by viruses, only a few bacteria are known to penetrate the CNS via this route. We present a 57-year-old man who developed a penetrating injury while working in a field. Over the next 4 months, he developed pain at the site of the poorly healing wound, which ascended up the right leg and presented as a conus-cauda syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an enhancing intradural intramedullary enhancing lesion in the conus on the right side with cord edema from D11 to L1 level. Extensive evaluation was negative, and he continued to progress to holocord myelitis and developed bilateral corticospinal tract lesions ("tractopathy") in the brain stem and internal capsule. He died after developing a right-sided cerebritis with mass effect. Tissue biopsy from the brain at the time of decompressive craniectomy grew Burkholderia pseudomallei and confirmed a diagnosis of neuromelioidosis (NM). We reviewed the literature for NM, its variable presentations, and the concept of an "infectious tractopathy" and imaging findings which could generate suspicion of this entity.

Case Report: Isolated Central Nervous System Melioidosis from a Non-Endemic Area.

Central nervous system (CNS) melioidosis is a rare neurological infectious disease which carries a high mortality. We describe a previously healthy middle-aged female, who presented to us with left-sided hemiparesis and was on antitubercular therapy from a previous presumed diagnosis of CNS tuberculoma. Non-characteristic imaging picture, multiple negative body fluid cultures, and positive Cerebrospinal fluid galactomannan led to a further delay in diagnosis. Gram stain of the tissue obtained from brain biopsy revealed Gram-negative rods in "safety pin" appearance. By picking up the colonies that appeared on blood agar and MacConkey agar, the identification of the clinical isolates was performed using VITEK® matrix (BioMérieux, Marcy-L'Etoile, France)-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (VITEK MALDI TOF MS database version 3.2) which revealed Burkholderia pseudomallei. After the institution of appropriate treatment, she survived but with significant morbidity. A high index of suspicion should be kept for such previously healthy individuals belonging to non-endemic areas, where presentation is suspicious of an infective etiology, but not improving despite appropriate therapy. This may help in early recognition and institution of recommended treatment so that mortality can be avoided.

Mycotic aneurysm secondary to melioidosis in China: A series of eight cases and a review of literature.

Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, endemic in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia, and increasingly recognized in southern China, especially in Hainan Province. Mycotic aneurysm caused by B. pseudomallei is a rare but potentially severe illness with a high mortality rate. The clinical features of the mycotic aneurysm secondary to melioidosis have not been illustrated in China. Over a seven-year period (2013 to 2019), 159 patients with bacteremic melioidosis were retrospectively analyzed in Hainan province, China, of whom eight patients were confirmed to have mycotic aneurysm through the combination of imaging examination, pathologic examination and aneurysm tissue culture. We summarized these eight patients' clinical characteristics, demographical features, treatments and outcomes. The susceptibilities to five commonly-used antibiotics for these eight B. pseudomallei isolates were also determined by E-test strips. Furthermore, the mycotic aneurysm cases secondary to melioidosis retrieved from the literature were also reviewed. Of the eight cases, six had abdominal mycotic aneurysms, one had a left iliac aneurysm, and the other one had an infectious mesenteric aneurysm. They were aged from 48 to 69 years old, and had the underlying risk factors of diabetes mellitus (2 patients), long-term smoking (4 patients), hypertension (6 patients), and soil and water contact history (6 patients), respectively. The positive arterial aneurysm imaging was observed in all patients via computed tomography (CT) or angiography. Eight B. pseudomallei isolates collected from both blood and mycotic aneurysm tissues remained 100% susceptible to imipenem and ceftazidime. After surgery combined with antibiotic administration, six patients survived, with a mortality rate of 25%. In melioidosis endemic areas, the mycotic aneurysm secondary to melioidosis might be underdiagnosed, and increased awareness of predisposing risk factors and clinical features of the mycotic aneurysm is required. Following a positive B. pseudomallei blood culture, the diagnosis of mycotic aneurysm should be under consideration in those with abdominal pain and/or hypertension. Imaging by CT or angiography is indispensable for its timely diagnosis and management.

Detection of spleen abscesses facilitates diagnosis of melioidosis in Malaysian children.

OBJECTIVES: Melioidosis is associated with extremely high case fatality ratios. The aim of this study was to determine whether detection of abdominal visceral abscesses can facilitate diagnosis of melioidosis in children. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all children who had liver and/or spleen abscesses on abdominal ultrasonography admitted to Bintulu Hospital in Sarawak, Malaysia, from January 2014 until December 2018. RESULTS: Fifty-three children had liver and/or spleen abscesses. Spleen abscesses were present in 48 (91%) cases; liver abscesses in 15 (28%). Melioidosis was confirmed by culture in 9 (17%) children; small occult splenic abscesses were present in all cases. In 78% of these cases, the lesions were detected before any positive culture (or serology) results were available. Four (8%) children had bacteriologically-confirmed tuberculosis. Two (4%) had Staphylococcus aureus infection. Of the remaining 38 (72%) culture-negative cases, 36 (95%) had clinical and imaging characteristics similar to that of children with culture-confirmed melioidosis and improved with empirical melioidosis antibiotic therapy. CONCLUSIONS: A large number of children in Bintulu Hospital in Sarawak, Malaysia, were found to have spleen abscesses. Melioidosis was the most common etiology identified in these children. Abdominal ultrasonography is extremely useful in facilitating the diagnosis of pediatric melioidosis.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Melioidosis in Laos.

Melioidosis is endemic in many rural areas in Southeast Asia where facilities for culture and identification of Burkholderia pseudomallei are often limited. We performed a prospective observational study in patients presenting with fever to Mahosot Hospital, the primary referral hospital in Laos, to establish whether the detection of abscesses on ultrasound could support a presumptive diagnosis of melioidosis. All patients underwent ultrasound examination to detect abscesses in the liver, spleen, prostate, or, if indicated, subcutaneous tissue. We enrolled 153 patients, including 18 patients with melioidosis. Of these, 11 (61%) had an abscess at one or more sites, including five (28%) with splenic and/or liver abscesses. Absence of abscesses cannot rule out melioidosis, but the positive predictive value of abscesses for melioidosis was high at 93% (88-96%). Therefore, in endemic areas, the presence of abscesses in febrile patients should prompt empiric antibiotic therapy for melioidosis even in the absence of culture confirmation.

Three New Cases of Melioidosis, Guadeloupe, French West Indies.

Melioidosis has been detected in the Caribbean, and an increasing number of cases has been reported in the past few decades, but only 2 cases were reported in Guadeloupe during the past 20 years. We describe 3 more cases that occurred during 2016-2017 and examine arguments for increasing endemicity.

Infected aneurysm after returning from Southeast Asia: think Burkholderia pseudomallei!

Melioidosis is a protean disease which is endemic to Southeast Asia and northern Australia. Here, we report a case of infected aortic aneurysm due to Burkholderia pseudomallei in an immunocompetent man 6 months after a trip to northern Malaysia. This patient initially received inappropriate surgical and antibiotic treatment, leading to a peri-prosthetic aortic infection with lumbar spondylitis and contiguous psoas muscle abscess. This case highlights the difficulty of diagnosing melioidosis given its diverse clinical manifestations and the limits of routine microbiological methods to identify B. pseudomallei Melioidosis should be considered a possible diagnosis in individuals with unexplained fever subsequent to travel in an endemic area.