Seroepidemiological surveillance of Burkholderia pseudomallei in Bangladesh
Maude RR., Maude RJ., Ghose A., Amin MR., Islam MB., Ali M., Bari MS., Majumder MI., Wuthiekanan V., Dondorp AM., Bailey RL., Day NPJ., Faiz MA.
Melioidosis (. Burkholderia pseudomallei infection) has yet to be demonstrated systematically in Bangladesh. A prospective, cross-sectional serological survey was conducted in 2010 at six Bangladeshi hospitals. Age, gender, occupation and residential address were recorded. Of 1244 patients, 359 (28.9%) were positive for . B. pseudomallei by indirect haemagglutination assay. Farmers had an increased risk of seropositivity (risk ratio. =. 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-1.8; p. =. 0.03). There was no clear geographic clustering of seropositives. Melioidosis should be considered as a possible cause of febrile illness in Bangladesh. Further studies are needed to establish the incidence of clinical disease and distribution of environmental risk. © 2012 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.