title: Short report: Electron microscopic demonstration of extracellular structure of Burkholderia pseudomallei.
abstract: The occurrence of latency and relapse in human melioidosis suggests adaptations by Burkholderia pseudomallei that help to avoid the human immune response. Ruthenium red-stained preparations of bacterial cultures viewed by electron microscopy revealed three morphologically distinct variants; one with a very marked and another with a less electron-dense layer surrounding the cell wall, and a third variety devoid of such a structure. This structure may be attributable to a layer of polysaccharide, suggesting the presence of a glycocalyx that may aid in the survival of the organism during latency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Puthucheary
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vadivelu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ce-Cile
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kum-Thong
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ismail
mesh_terms: D016957:Burkholderia pseudomallei / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D008554:Melioidosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000032:analysis / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; D011134:Polysaccharides