Silent killer: Melioidosis hides in plain sight
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Imagine a disease that is deadly, misunderstood, and almost forgotten by history. This is the story of melioidosis, also known as Whitmore’s disease, a tropical illness discovered over a century ago but still battling for recognition today. Alfred Whitmore, a
Melioidosis is a potentially fatal infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, a saprophytic Gram-negative bacteria found majorly in soil. The increasing number of melioidosis cases suggest an emerging trend but a seemingly neglected nature of the disease, especially in India.
Q.1. Which parts of the world the disease is prevalent?Melioidosis is predominately a disease of tropical climates, prevalent especially in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. Q.2. What is the causative agent?It is caused by the bacterial soil saprophyte B. pseudomallei,