Melioidosis risk in a tropical industrial environment

Abstract

An investigation into the risk of occupationally acquired melioidosis at a mine site in northern Australia found that 45 (13%) of 345 staff had serologic evidence of exposure and 14 (4%) had recent exposure to Burkholderia pseudomallei or closely related bacteria. There was only one culture-confirmed case of melioidosis in mine staff during the study period. The lack of overt infection directly attributable to work activities despite detectable B. pseudomallei on site, the absence of an association between positive serology and occupational activity on site, or duration of employment in the mining industry stand against a significant occupationally acquired infection risk on this industrial site. Workplace exposure to a dust-generating tropical environment in the melioidosis-endemic north of Australia did not appear to pose a measurable increase in infection risk. The effect of long-term climatic trends on this potential biologic threat requires further study.