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M elioidosis and the kidney
Author(s) -
Jabbar Zulfikar,
Currie Bart J
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
nephrology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1440-1797
pISSN - 1320-5358
DOI - 10.1111/nep.12024
Subject(s) - burkholderia pseudomallei , melioidosis , medicine , intensive care medicine , epidemiology , pneumonia , infectious disease (medical specialty) , disease , sepsis , immunosuppression , mortality rate , community acquired pneumonia , immunology , pathology , bacteria , biology , genetics
Melioidosis, caused by the saprophytic soil and freshwater G ram‐negative aerobic bacillus B urkholderia pseudomallei , is classically characterized by pneumonia, sometimes with multiple organ abscesses, usually in patients with defined risk factors and with a mortality rate of up to 40%. It is a major cause of community‐acquired sepsis in S outheast A sia and tropical northern A ustralia with an expanding global geographical distribution. It is increasingly recognized as an opportunistic infectious disease of importance to physicians, who may need to suspect it in at‐risk patients that may come from or visit endemic areas, and could be fatal if treated late or inappropriately. Mortality could be prevented by early institution of specific antimicrobial therapy. Epidemiology, clinical features, overall management, and aspects of melioidosis particularly relevant to kidney disease and immunosuppression are discussed in this review.