title: Short report: Predictors of severe disease in melioidosis patients in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
abstract: The predictors of severe disease or death were determined for 85 melioidosis patients in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Most of the patients were male, > 40 years old, and diabetic. Severe disease or death occurred in 28 (32.9%) cases. Lower lymphocyte counts and positive blood cultures were significant independent predictors of severe disease, but age, presentations with pneumonia, inappropriate empirical antibiotics, or flagellin types of the infecting isolates were not. Knowledge of local predictors of severe disease is useful for clinical management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Ardita Dewi Roslani
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Mohd Roslani
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sun Tee
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Tay
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Savithri D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Puthucheary
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Devi V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Rukumani
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia jicsam@ummc.edu.my.
authors.forename: I-Ching
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Sam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008554:Melioidosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index