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Melioidosis is an infectious disease caused by the saprophytic bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. In northeast Thailand and northern Australia, where the disease is highly endemic, a range of molecular tools have been used to study its epidemiology and pathogenesis. In the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos) where melioidosis has been recognized as endemic since 1999, no such studies have been undertaken. We used a multilocus sequence typing scheme specific for B. pseudomallei to investigate nine cases of culture-positive recurrence occurring in 514 patients with melioidosis between 2010 and 2015: four were suspected to be relapses while the other five represented reinfections. In addition, two novel sequence types of the bacterium were identified. The low overall recurrence rates (2.4%) and proportions of relapse and reinfection in the Laos are consistent with those described in the recent literature, reflecting the effective use of appropriate antimicrobial therapy.

Original publication

DOI

10.4269/ajtmh.15-0909

Type

Journal article

Journal

The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Publisher

American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Publication Date

01/06/2016

Volume

94

Pages

1208 - 1211