Melioidosis: Reinfection Going Incognito as Relapse

Melioidosis has recently gained importance as an emerging disease in India. Recurrent melioidosis has been reported from different parts of the world and can be due to relapse or reinfection. Distinction between relapse and reinfection is important for epidemiology, investigation and management. Her...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Indian journal of medical microbiology 2017-10, Vol.35 (4), p.593-596
Main Authors: Halim, Isra, Shaw, Tushar, Tellapragada, Chaitanya, Vandana, K.E., Mukhopadhyay, Chiranjay
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antibiotics
Burkholderia pseudomallei
Chronic illnesses
Epidemiology
Infections
Melioidosis
Microbiology
Multilocus sequence typing
Patients
Population
recurrence
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Summary:Melioidosis has recently gained importance as an emerging disease in India. Recurrent melioidosis has been reported from different parts of the world and can be due to relapse or reinfection. Distinction between relapse and reinfection is important for epidemiology, investigation and management. Here, we present the data regarding rate of recurrence and utility of multilocus sequence typing (MLST) in differentiating relapse form reinfection amongst melioidosis patients from a tertiary care hospital in South India. Amongst the 31 patients who survived and underwent follow-up, 4 (13%) presented with recurrence. Three cases (75%) were identified as reinfection and one (25%) as relapse based on MLST. Re-exposure to environmental Burkholderia pseudomallei amongst patients with melioidosis in endemic areas is likely. In such a scenario, more often than not, recurrence of melioidosis can be attributed to reinfection.
ISSN:0255-0857
1998-3646
DOI:10.4103/ijmm.IJMM_17_140