Melioidosis of the Musculoskeletal System

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Microbiology

Background:

• India is an endemic region for Burkholderia pseudomallei (B. pseudomallei) infections.
• Musculoskeletal involvement is a significant manifestation of B. pseudomallei infection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinical presentation of B. pseudomallei musculoskeletal infections.
• To summarize treatment modalities for B. pseudomallei musculoskeletal infections.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records for patients with confirmed B. pseudomallei musculoskeletal infection from 2007-2016.
• Inclusion criteria: microbiological diagnosis, musculoskeletal involvement, and minimum 1-year follow-up.

Main Results:

• 9.2% of B. pseudomallei infections involved the musculoskeletal system (37/342).
• Osteomyelitis (58%) and septic arthritis (38%) were common presentations.
• All patients required both medical (meropenem or ceftazidime) and surgical interventions.

Conclusions:

• Musculoskeletal B. pseudomallei infections require a combination of medical and surgical management.
• Multimodal treatment, including surgical intervention and antibiotics, led to complete disease resolution in all cases.