CDC reports three unusual fatal bacterial infections with a source of mystery
The American disease control and prevention centers reported three cases of severe and often fatal bacterial infection called melioidosis. The source of these infections is unknown at this stage, with the CDC saying that these cases are “unusual” because none of the three victims had traveled outside the United States before presenting symptoms.
Melioidosis infections are caused by a bacterial pathogen called Burkholderia Pseudomallei, classified as Level 1 agent, the same category that houses other serious pathogens such as the Ebola virus and the neurotoxins that cause botulism.
Although these infections are common in subtropical and tropical regions of the world, they generally only appear in the United States when someone has traveled in an area, these infections are generalized. That makes these three cases – the first of which was reported in March and was fatal – particularly unusual because they did not involve travel outside the United States.
Following the initial fatal affair, two other patients were reported in May, the one who later recovered sufficiently to be moved to a transitional care unit; The other remains hospitalized. Although identities have not been revealed, the CDC provided basic details.
The three victims involved a man and two women, with one of them being a child. These patients also came from three very different parts of the United States: Kansas, Texas and Minnesota. State health services and services in these three states work with the CDC to investigate what can be behind cases.
The experts say that genomic sequencing has been used to connect the three cases with what is probably the same source. The origin of these infections can be an animal or a product, but the CDC has no information to report at that time. Unfortunately, the symptoms of infection vary and can delay the treatment of the disease.
CDC says that symptoms of melioidosis may include items such as fever, cough, headache, lung problems, joint pain, stomach pain, chest pain, weight loss and more. Some pre-existing conditions increase the serious or mortal consequences of infection, which have a mortality rate of 10 to 50%.
The CDC provided advice for doctors who may encounter melio diet infections, but have no information for the public with respect to prevention or source at the moment.