Musculoskeletal melioidosis: clinical and imaging features.
OBJECTIVE
Melioidosis is a tropical infection caused by a gram-negative bacillus, Pseudomonas pseudomallei. The disease manifests initially as localized suppurative lesions and can progress to acute disseminated septicemia with 65-90% mortality if inadequately treated. Musculoskeletal involvement is common. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical features and imaging appearances of musculoskeletal melioidosis.


METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed the clinical profiles and images of 26 patients diagnosed over a 6-year period as suffering from melioidosis.


METHODS
The study group comprised 11 patients with musculoskeletal melioidosis and 15 patients with nonmusculoskeletal melioidosis.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that musculoskeletal melioidosis mimicks other infections both clinically and radiologically. Clinical awareness is therefore crucial, as diagnosis can only be established by bacteriological and immunological studies. Prompt treatment with long-term combination antibiotics in high dosages and surgical drainage of abscesses improves survival.
Pui
M H
MH
Department of Radiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Tan
A P
AP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008554:Melioidosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed