Alfred Whitmore and the Discovery of Melioidosis

Abstract

We review the discovery of the tropical infectious disease melioidosis by Alfred Whitmore, a pathologist from England, and his assistant from India, C.S. Krishnaswami. We discuss how the subsequent disappearance of melioidosis from the medical literature of Burma holds parallels with the current neglect and under recognition of the disease. We urge global and national public health authorities to add melioidosis to existing neglected tropical diseases surveillance systems.

Keywords

• Melioidosis
• Burkholderia pseudomallei
• bacteria
• history