Melioidosis in northern Australia, 2001-02

Authors

  • Bart J Currie Menzies School of Health Research, PO Box 41096, Casuarina NT 0811
  • Allen C Cheng Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory; Northern Territory Clinical School, Royal Darwin Hospital, Flinders University, Darwin, Northern Territory
  • Jeffrey N Hanna Tropical Public Health Unit, Queensland Health, Cairns, Queensland
  • Robert Norton Department of Microbiology, Townsville Hospital, Queensland Health Pathology and Scientific Services, Townsville, Queensland
  • Susan L Hills Tropical Public Heath Unit, Queensland Health, Townsville, Queensland; Australian International Health Institute (University of Melbourne) and Children's Vaccine Program at PATH, Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Josh Davis Northern Territory Clinical School, Royal Darwin Hospital, Flinders University, Darwin, Northern Territory
  • Vicki L Krause Disease Control, Northern Territory Department of Health and Community Services, Darwin, Northern Territory
  • Gary Dowse Communicable Diseases Control Branch, Department of Health, Western Australia
  • Tim J Inglis PathCentre, Western Australia Department of Health, Perth, Western Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2003.27.52

Keywords:

melioidosis, Burkholderia pseudomallei, epidemiology

Abstract

Melioidosis, caused by the Gram negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, is endemic in northern Australia. Using data collated from centres in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland, this report describes the epidemiology of this disease between 1 November, 2001 and 31 October, 2002. There were 47 cases seen during this period with an average annual incidence of 5.8 cases per 100,000 population. In Indigenous Australians, an incidence of 25.5 cases per 100,000 population was seen. The timing and location of cases was generally correlated with rainfall across northern Australia. A case-cluster in a Queensland community was associated with post-cyclonic flooding. Risk factors included diabetes, alcohol-related problems and renal disease. Pneumonia (51%) was the most common clinical diagnosis. The mortality rate attributable to melioidosis was 21 per cent, although a number of other patients died of underlying disease. Despite improvements in recognition and treatment, melioidosis is still associated with a high morbidity and mortality, particularly in Indigenous Australians. Commun Dis Intell 2003;27:272-277.

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References

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Published

30/06/03

How to Cite

Currie, Bart J, Allen C Cheng, Jeffrey N Hanna, Robert Norton, Susan L Hills, Josh Davis, Vicki L Krause, Gary Dowse, and Tim J Inglis. 2003. “Melioidosis in Northern Australia, 2001-02”. Communicable Diseases Intelligence 27 (June):272-77. https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2003.27.52.

Issue

Vol. 27 (2003)

Section

Short report

Categories

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