Surprisingly low seroprevalence of Burkholderia pseudomallei in exposed healthy adults in the Darwin region of tropical Australia where melioidosis is highly endemic

Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2013 May;20(5):759-60. doi: 10.1128/CVI.00021-13. Epub 2013 Mar 27.

Abstract

In the Darwin region of Australia where melioidosis is highly endemic, only 11/354 (3%) healthy residents were seropositive by indirect hemagglutination assay, despite extensive exposure to Burkholderia pseudomallei. None developed melioidosis, but some described a prior self-limiting illness. This seropositivity rate is much lower than that seen in northeast Thailand, where melioidosis is similarly highly endemic, potentially reflecting important differences between these two locations in the epidemiology of melioidosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood*
  • Australia / epidemiology
  • Burkholderia pseudomallei / immunology*
  • Female
  • Hemagglutination Tests
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Melioidosis / epidemiology*
  • Melioidosis / immunology
  • Melioidosis / microbiology
  • Middle Aged
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial