Melioidosis in the remote Katherine region of northern Australia

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2022 Jun 13;16(6):e0010486. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010486. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Abstract

Melioidosis is endemic in the remote Katherine region of northern Australia. In a population with high rates of chronic disease, social inequities, and extreme remoteness, the impact of melioidosis is exacerbated by severe weather events and disproportionately affects First Nations Australians. All culture-confirmed melioidosis cases in the Katherine region of the Australian Top End between 1989-2021 were included in the study, and the clinical features and epidemiology were described. The diversity of Burkholderia pseudomallei strains in the region was investigated using genomic sequencing. From 1989-2021 there were 128 patients with melioidosis in the Katherine region. 96/128 (75%) patients were First Nations Australians, 72/128 (56%) were from a very remote region, 68/128 (53%) had diabetes, 57/128 (44%) had a history of hazardous alcohol consumption, and 11/128 (9%) died from melioidosis. There were 9 melioidosis cases attributable to the flooding of the Katherine River in January 1998; 7/9 flood-associated cases had cutaneous melioidosis, five of whom recalled an inoculating event injury sustained wading through flood waters or cleaning up after the flood. The 126 first-episode clinical B. pseudomallei isolates that underwent genomic sequencing belonged to 107 different sequence types and were highly diverse, reflecting the vast geographic area of the study region. In conclusion, melioidosis in the Katherine region disproportionately affects First Nations Australians with risk factors and is exacerbated by severe weather events. Diabetes management, public health intervention for hazardous alcohol consumption, provision of housing to address homelessness, and patient education on melioidosis prevention in First Nations languages should be prioritised.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Australia / epidemiology
  • Burkholderia pseudomallei* / genetics
  • Humans
  • Melioidosis* / epidemiology
  • Risk Factors

Grants and funding

The research was funded under the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council grant numbers 1046812 (awarded to BJC, MM, and MK; funded salary for MK, MM, and LW), 1098337 (awarded to BJC, MM, and MK; funded salary for CW, MK, MM, and LW), and 1131932 (The HOT NORTH initiative; awarded to BJC). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.