Re-emergence of melioidosis in Myanmar

After the discovery of melioidosis and its causative organism, Burkholderia pseudomallei, in Burma (Myanmar) in 1912 and further reports in 1915 and 1917, no further reports of melioidosis emerged from the country in the international medical literature. The present study aimed to determine whether the occurrence of melioidosis among hospital patients with abscess in Yangon, Myanmar is sufficiently frequent to indicate further studies to determine its clinical and public health significance in the country. A clinical and bacteriological survey of patients with abscess at 21 hospitals in Yangon was carried out during 2004-2006. Pus specimens from three of 133 patients yielded bacteria with the morphological, cultural and biochemical characteristics of B. pseudomallei. The estimated melioidosis prevalence rate among patients with abscess in selected Yangon hospitals was approximately 2%. Further studies are indicated to assess the clinical and public health significance of melioidosis in Myanmar.