A Case Report on Septic Arthritis caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei

Abstract

Melioidosis is an emerging infection in India caused by the environmental saprophyte Burkholderia pseudomallei. It is a gram negative, oxidase-positive bacillus that is intrinsically resistant to gentamycin, penicillin, and colistin. Risk factors for this infection include diabetes mellitus, heavy alcohol use, malignancy, chronic lung infection, liver, and kidney conditions. B. pseudomallei can lead to variable clinical manifestations, ranging from mild localised abscesses to invasive infections. However, a proper identification system for early detection and speciation is not universally available in all laboratories, and it can be easily misidentified as Pseudomonas species due to its unfamiliarity. Consequently, there may be a delay in diagnosis and failure to initiate appropriate and effective treatment, which can worsen the outcome. In this report, the author presents a case of septic arthritis in a 44-year-old diabetic male with clinical symptoms of melioidosis and involvement of multiple organs.

Keywords

• diabetes mellitus
• emerging infection
• melioidosis
• variable manifestations