Bacteria that causes rare disease melioidosis discovered in U.S. environmental samples : press release for Immediate release: Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
• Description:
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified for the first time in domestic environmental samples the bacteria that causes a rare and serious disease called melioidosis. The bacteria, Burkholderia pseudomallei or B. pseudomallei, was identified through sampling of soil and water in the Gulf Coast region of Mississippi.
  
  It is unclear how long the bacteria has been in the environment and where else it might be found in the U.S.; however, modeling suggests that the environmental conditions found in the Gulf Coast states are conducive to the growth of B. pseudomallei. CDC is alerting clinicians throughout the country of this discovery through a national health advisory, reminding them to be aware of the signs and symptoms of melioidosis and to consider melioidosis in patients that present with symptoms of the disease.
  
  Two unrelated individuals living in close geographic proximity in the Gulf Coast region of the southern United States became sick with melioidosis two years apart—in 2020 and 2022— prompting state health officials and CDC to take samples and test household products, soil, and water in and around both patients’ homes, with permission. Three of the samples taken from soil and puddle water in 2022 tested positive at CDC for B. pseudomallei, indicating bacteria from the environment was the likely source of infection for both individuals and has been present in the area since at least 2020.
  
  Melioidosis is caused by direct contact with B. pseudomallei, which is found in contaminated soil and water. Among the average of 12 melioidosis cases diagnosed in the United States each year, most have occurred in people with recent travel to a country where this bacteria is endemic. Cases of melioidosis have also been linked to contaminated commercial products imported from disease-endemic countries. This recently occurred in 2021 when a cluster of four cases in four states were linked to an imported contaminated aromatherapy spray
  
  
• Subjects:
  Burkholderia Pseudomallei Melioidosis
• Document Type:
  Press Release
• Place as Subject:
  Mississippi
• Collection(s):
  Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:7265d8ffd8cf699b9db6d22815f1cfbcb69015401e00186ee638b204bab6ef39
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/119730/cdc_119730_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 85.44 KB ]