Melioidosis in India: a potentially deadly infection that may be going undetected
A multicentre study found that nearly one in 11 high-risk hospitalised adults had melioidosis, with almost one in five confirmed patients dying in hospital. Gaps in diagnosis and national surveillance leave the true burden uncertain
India faces a potential health crisis as melioidosis, a deadly infection, may be underdiagnosed, according to a study. The 48-year-old diabetic patient's misdiagnosed ankle joint infection was revealed to be caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, the bacterium responsible for melioidosis, as confirmed by blood and joint pus cultures.
This case report, authored by Assistant Professor Atish Mohapatra from Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, underscores the need for improved diagnosis and surveillance. Another patient with sickle cell disease and type 1 diabetes developed disseminated melioidosis, affecting his bones, lungs, and leading to a splenic abscess and pulmonary embolism.
A 2026 study by Dr. Mohapatra and colleagues identified 262 out of 2,953 high-risk hospitalised adults in India with confirmed melioidosis, with a 19.1% hospital death rate. Environmental mapping showed that melioidosis cases in Odisha peak during and after the monsoon season, with infection rates influenced by temperature, cloud cover, and solar radiation.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu - Sci-Tech's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
