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Burkholderia pseudomallei sepsis presenting with pericardial effusion and tamponade

Bart L De Keulenaer1, Simon R Van Hooland, Prabha R Damodaran

  • 1Intensive Care Unit, Fremantle Hospital, Fremantle, WA. bdekeul@hotmail.com

Critical Care and Resuscitation : Journal of the Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine
|June 5, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Melioidosis, a severe bacterial infection, can rarely affect the heart lining. This case highlights successful treatment of a patient with melioid sepsis presenting with pericarditis and cardiac tamponade.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Cardiology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Melioidosis, caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is endemic in Southeast Asia and Australia.
  • Severe melioidosis (septicaemia) has a high mortality rate, often involving multiple organs.
  • Pericardial involvement in melioidosis is exceptionally rare.

Observation:

  • A 40-year-old woman presented with melioid sepsis and pericardial involvement.
  • She had no contiguous pulmonary involvement.
  • The patient developed acute pericardial tamponade.

Findings:

  • This is the first reported case of melioid sepsis presenting with pericarditis and cardiac tamponade in Australia or New Zealand.
  • Successful treatment was achieved with surgical intervention and medical therapy.
  • The case underscores the diverse clinical manifestations of melioidosis.

Implications:

  • Highlights the importance of considering melioidosis in patients with unexplained sepsis and cardiac complications, even without typical pulmonary findings.
  • Suggests that prompt diagnosis and combined surgical and medical management can be life-saving in rare presentations of melioidosis.
  • Contributes to the understanding of cardiac involvement in melioidosis, a condition with significant morbidity and mortality.

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