Melioidosis is now considered endemic to the U.S. Gulf Coast and infections may be seen from Texas to Florida, Petras said.
Imagine that.
I wonder how a tropical disease could have gotten in the US........
Melioidosis is now considered endemic to the U.S. Gulf Coast and infections may be seen from Texas to Florida, Petras said.
metmom:"Imagine that.
I wonder how a tropical disease could have gotten in the US......."
(From the article): “ So far, three cases of infection from the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei have been reported to the U.S. CDC.
The bacteria causes melioidosis, which can be fatal if left untreated.
"It is an environmental organism that lives naturally in the soil, and typically freshwater in certain areas around the world.
Mostly in subtropical and tropical climates," said Julia Petras.
Melioidosis is now considered endemic to the U.S. Gulf Coast and infections may be seen from Texas to Florida, Petras said.
But because most people exposed to B. mallei don't have symptoms of infection and develop antibodies against it,
many more people have most likely been infected, she said"
"The most common ways the bacterium infects people is through open wounds or by being inhaled during a severe storm with high winds.
It can also be ingested by drinking contaminated water, she noted.
"Those most at risk for a serious bout of melioidosis are people with diabetes and those with chronic liver or kidney disease or any autoimmune disease, she explained.
Once infected, the bacterium attacks various organs including the lungs, brain and any organ with an abscess.
"A lot of patients will have pneumonia with sepsis, and or sepsis, which is associated with higher mortality and worse outcomes," she said."
That advice is especially aimed at diabetics and others with chronic conditions or autoimmune diseases. "This is one of those diseases that is also called the great mimicker because it can look like a lot of different things," Petras explained.
“I wonder how a tropical disease could have gotten in the US........ “
Let me ponder that for a few minutes…nope, can’t think of any plausible route. It just doesn’t seem possible with our stringent public health standards and alien admission processes. It’s a mystery.