Distribution of melioidosis cases and viable Burkholderia pseudomallei in soil: evidence for emerging melioidosis in Taiwan

Yao-Shen Chen; Hsi-Hsun Lin; Jung-Jung Mu; Chuen-Sheue Chiang; Chang-Hsun Chen; Leh-Mia Buu; Yusen E Lin; Ya-Lei Chen

doi:10.1128/JCM.01720-09

Distribution of melioidosis cases and viable Burkholderia pseudomallei in soil: evidence for emerging melioidosis in Taiwan

J Clin Microbiol. 2010 Apr;48(4):1432-4. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01720-09. Epub 2010 Feb 10.

Authors

Yao-Shen Chen¹, Hsi-Hsun Lin, Jung-Jung Mu, Chuen-Sheue Chiang, Chang-Hsun Chen, Leh-Mia Buu, Yusen E Lin, Ya-Lei Chen

Affiliation

¹ Division of Infectious Diseases, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Abstract

A survey for the prevalence if Burkholderia pseudomallei in soil in Taiwan found that its incidence is comparable to that in other regions of the world where melioidosis is endemic. The presence of identical genetic patterns among the clinical and environmental isolates evaluated suggested a link between the pathogens present in contaminated soil and the emergence of indigenous melioidosis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Bacterial Typing Techniques
Burkholderia pseudomallei / classification
Burkholderia pseudomallei / genetics
Burkholderia pseudomallei / isolation & purification*
Cluster Analysis
DNA Fingerprinting
Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
Genotype
Humans
Incidence
Melioidosis / epidemiology*
Molecular Epidemiology
Prevalence
Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique
Soil Microbiology*
Taiwan / epidemiology