Distribution of melioidosis cases and viable Burkholderia pseudomallei in soil: evidence for emerging melioidosis in Taiwan

Abstract

A survey for the prevalence if Burkholderia pseudomallei in soil in Taiwan found that its incidence is comparable to that in other regions of the world where melioidosis is endemic. The presence of identical genetic patterns among the clinical and environmental isolates evaluated suggested a link between the pathogens present in contaminated soil and the emergence of indigenous melioidosis.

FIG. 1.

Distributions of numbers of cases, disease incidence rate, environmental isolation rates, and rates of PCR positivity for melioidosis. Case numbers were obtained from official Taiwan CDC documents. The disease incidence rate was determined from the rates of occurrence of the disease from 2000 to 2006. PCR positivity was defined as the presence of both amplicons of the 16S RNA and flagellar genes in soil specimens. Soil samples were collected evenly every 5 to 10 km along both sides of provincial roads (black lines) throughout Taiwan. (Courtesy of Ming-Chang Lin, reproduced with permission.)