Cutaneous melioidosis

Abstract

Melioidosis is an infection caused by the gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. This disease is endemic in Southeast Asia and North Australia with sporadic occurrence in temperate countries, mostly imported from travellers. Any organ can be involved in melioidosis whereby Burkholderia pseudomallei causes an acute inflammatory reaction with rapid development of small abcesses which tend to coalesce to form larger abscesses. Cutaneous manifestations vary greatly. We report a man with systemic melioidosis who presented with cutaneous lesions.