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. 2025 Sep 12;14(9):921.
doi: 10.3390/pathogens14090921.

Seroprevalence of Antibodies to Burkholderia pseudomallei in Mississippi Gulf Coast Residents, September 2023

Katherine M DeBord  1 , Mindy G Elrod  1 , Claire Hartloge  1 , William A Meyer 3rd  2 , Brooke E Swanson  2 , Caroline A Schrodt  1 , Maria E Negron  1 , Zachary P Weiner  1
Affiliations

Seroprevalence of Antibodies to Burkholderia pseudomallei in Mississippi Gulf Coast Residents, September 2023

Katherine M DeBord et al. Pathogens. .

Abstract

In 2022, Burkholderia pseudomallei was first identified in continental United States (U.S.) environmental samples from the Mississippi Gulf Coast following two autochthonous infections. To better understand the extent of exposure to this emerging bacterium, we tested a convenience sample of 825 residual sera samples (550 from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, 275 from the northern U.S.) from a commercial diagnostic laboratory for the presence of antibodies to B. pseudomallei, using an indirect hemagglutination assay. We estimated seroprevalence of antibodies to B. pseudomallei in Mississippi Gulf Coast residents and in controls from northern regions of the U.S. where B. pseudomallei is less likely to persist in the environment. At a titer cut-off of ≥1:40, we observed a similar seropositivity between Mississippi Gulf Coast residents (14%, 95% CI: 11%, 17%) and controls (17%, 95% CI: 13%, 18%). Similarities in seropositivity suggest environmental exposure to B. pseudomallei in the Mississippi Gulf Coast may be limited; however, a lack of accompanying illness and exposure information limits our ability to conclusively interpret these findings. These estimates can serve as a baseline of seropositivity in the U.S. for future studies and to track the spread of B. pseudomallei in the U.S. over time.

Keywords: Burkholderia pseudomallei; Mississippi; communicable diseases; emerging; seroprevalence.

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Conflict of interest statement

Brooke Swanson is employed by Quest Diagnostics, and William A Meyer III is a consultant for Quest Diagnostics. The company had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Geographic distribution of residence county for residual sera samples tested for Burkholderia pseudomallei seropositivity among (A) Mississippi Gulf Coast residents and (B) controls.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Seropositivity to Burkholderia pseudomallei antibodies and 95% confidence intervals (denoted by grey bars) by age group, sex, and geographic location.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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