Musculoskeletal melioidosis: clinical and imaging features

Melioidosis is a tropical infection caused by a gram-negative bacillus, Pseudomonas pseudomallei. The disease manifests initially as localized suppurative lesions and can progress to acute disseminated septicemia with 65-90% mortality if inadequately treated. Musculoskeletal involvement is common. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical features and imaging appearances of musculoskeletal melioidosis.

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical profiles and images of 26 patients diagnosed over a 6-year period as suffering from melioidosis.

The study group comprised 11 patients with musculoskeletal melioidosis and 15 patients with nonmusculoskeletal melioidosis.

We found that musculoskeletal melioidosis mimicks other infections both clinically and radiologically. Clinical awareness is therefore crucial, as diagnosis can only be established by bacteriological and immunological studies. Prompt treatment with long-term combination antibiotics in high dosages and surgical drainage of abscesses improves survival.