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Case Reports
. 2017 Sep 19:2017:bcr2017221787.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2017-221787.

Melioidosis mimicking tubercular cold abscess

Raghuraj Suresh Kundangar  1 , Shyamasunder N Bhat  1 , Simanchal P Mohanty  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Melioidosis mimicking tubercular cold abscess

Raghuraj Suresh Kundangar et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

Burkholderia pseudomallei is a Gram-negative bacillus found in soil. The infection is thought to occur by inoculation or inhalation. It usually affects people with predisposing factors like diabetes mellitus and chronic alcoholism. A 36-year-old man, on the treatment of diabetes in the past 4 years, on oral hypoglycaemic drugs, presented to us with pain and insidious onset of swelling over left loin like a lumbar cold abscess. He underwent incision and drainage of the abscess. As per the culture report, we used ceftazidime for 2 weeks, followed by cotrimoxazole for 6 months. Surgical drainage of large abscesses is indicated. A dedicated team of microbiologist and physicians is required to identify and treat the disease. Orthopaedic manifestations are uncommon.

Keywords: bone and joint infections; infectious diseases.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Swelling over left loin.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Thinning of skin over the apex of the swelling.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Anteroposterior radiograph showing mild lumbar scoliosis.
Figure 4
Figure 4
MRI coronal section showing subcutaneous abscess.
Figure 5
Figure 5
MRI sagittal section showing abscess with multiple septations.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Scar healed by primary intention at 1-year follow-up.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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