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Melioidosis and Aboriginal seasons in northern Australia

Allen C Cheng1, Susan P Jacups, Linda Ward

  • 1Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, c/o Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, 9th floor, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia. allen.cheng@menzies.edu.au

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
|January 6, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei infection) cases increase during Australia's wet season. Disease severity, including pneumonia and sepsis, also rises, suggesting altered exposure routes like inhalation.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Melioidosis is caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, prevalent in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia.
  • Disease incidence is strongly linked to the monsoonal wet season.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate seasonal variations in melioidosis presentation and characteristics.
  • To explore the relationship between local Aboriginal seasonal definitions and disease patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 387 acute, culture-confirmed melioidosis cases at Royal Darwin Hospital.
  • Correlation of patient presentations with local Aboriginal seasonal definitions (Gunumeleng, Gudjewg, Wurrgeng, Gurrung).

Main Results:

  • Higher proportions of pneumonia (60%) and severe sepsis (25%) were observed during the wet seasons (Gunumeleng, Gudjewg).
  • Drier seasons (Wurrgeng, Gurrung) showed lower rates of pneumonia (26%) and severe sepsis (13%).

Conclusions:

  • Seasonal variations in melioidosis presentation and severity are evident.
  • Wet season increases in melioidosis may be linked to changes in exposure, potentially shifting from skin inoculation to inhalation.

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