Article Category:
Short Report

Expanding the Geographic Boundaries of Melioidosis in Queensland, Australia

Ian Gassiep University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Woman’s Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia;
Mater Hospital Brisbane, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;
Pathology Queensland, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;

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Victoria Grey Mater Hospital Brisbane, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;

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Li Jun Thean Queensland Children’s Hospital, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;

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Drew Farquhar Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Birtinya, Queensland, Australia;

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Julia E. Clark Queensland Children’s Hospital, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;

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Lawrence Ariotti Public Health Microbiology, Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;

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Rikki Graham Public Health Microbiology, Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;

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Amy V. Jennison Public Health Microbiology, Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;

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Haakon Bergh Pathology Queensland, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;

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Satyamurthy Anuradha Metro South Public Health Unit, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;

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Wendy Dyer Metro South Public Health Unit, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;

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Christian James Metro South Public Health Unit, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;

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Andrea Huang Bundaberg Hospital, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia;

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Elise Putt Bundaberg Hospital, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia;

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Veenaa Pakeerathan Hervey Bay Hospital, Pialba, Queensland, Australia;

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Paul M. Griffin Mater Hospital Brisbane, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;
Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

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Patrick N. A. Harris University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Woman’s Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia;
Pathology Queensland, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.23-0002
Volume/Issue:
Volume 108: Issue 6
Page(s):
1215–1219
Restricted access
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ABSTRACT.

Melioidosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. Although this environmental organism is endemic in certain regions of Australia, it is not considered endemic in Southern Queensland, where the last case was reported 21 years ago. We report a climate change–associated outbreak of melioidosis occurring during two La Niña events in a region previously considered nonendemic for B. pseudomallei. During a 15-month period, 14 cases of locally acquired melioidosis were identified. Twelve patients were adults (> 50 years), with diabetes mellitus the most common risk factor in 6 of 12 patients (50%). Eleven patients (79%) had direct exposure to floodwaters or the flooded environment. This study suggests an association between climate change and an increased incidence of melioidosis. In addition, this is the first report of environmental sampling and whole-genome analysis to prove endemicity and local acquisition in this region.

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Author Notes

Address correspondence to Ian Gassiep, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research Building 71/918, Royal Brisbane and Woman’s Hospital, Herston, Queensland 4029, Australia. E-mail: ian.gassiep@gmail.com

Written consent was obtained from each patient. The publication of this case series was endorsed by the Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee.

Authors’ addresses: Ian Gassiep, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Woman’s Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia, Mater Hospital Brisbane, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, and Pathology Queensland, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, E-mail: ian.gassiep@gmail.com. Victoria Grey, Mater Hospital Brisbane, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Email: victoria.grey@health.qld.gov.au. Li Jun Thean and Julia E. Clark, Queensland Children’s Hospital, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Emails: lijun.thean@health.qld.gov.au and julia.clark@health.qld.gov.au. Drew Farquhar, Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Birtinya, Queensland, Australia, Email: drew.farquhar@health.qld.gov.au. Lawrence Ariotti, Rikki Graham, and Amy V. Jennison, Public Health Microbiology, Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Emails: lawrence.ariotti@health.qld.gov.au, rikki.graham@health.qld.gov.au, and amy.jennison@health.qld.gov.au. Haakon Bergh, Pathology Queensland, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Email: haakon.bergh@health.qld.gov.au. Satyamurthy Anuradha, Wendy Dyer, and Christian James, Metro South Public Health Unit, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Emails: wendy.dyer@health.qld.gov.au and christian.james@health.qld.gov.au. Andrea Huang and Elise Putt, Bundaberg Hospital, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia, Emails: andrea.huang@mater.org.au and eliseputt@gmail.com. Veenaa Pakeerathan, Hervey Bay Hospital, Pialba, Queensland, Australia, Email: veenaa.pakeerathan@health.qld.gov.au. Paul M. Griffin, Mater Hospital Brisbane, South Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, and Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia, Email: paul.griffin@mater.org.au. Patrick N. A. Harris, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Woman’s Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia, and Pathology Queensland, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Email: patrick.harris2@health.qld.gov.au.

Copyright:
© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2023
Received:
01 Jan 2023
|
Accepted:
23 Mar 2023
|
Published Online:
09 May 2023
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
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