title: Clinical, environmental, and serologic surveillance studies of melioidosis in Gabon, 2012-2013.
abstract: Burkholderia pseudomallei, an environmental gram-negative bacillus, is the causative agent of melioidosis and a bio-threat agent. Reports of B. pseudomallei isolation from soil and animals in East and West Africa suggest that melioidosis might be more widely distributed than previously thought. Because it has been found in equatorial areas with tropical climates, we hypothesized that B. pseudomallei could exist in Gabon. During 2012-2013, we conducted a seroprevalance study in which we set up microbiology facilities at a large clinical referral center and prospectively screened all febrile patients by conducting blood cultures and testing for B. pseudomallei and related species; we also determined whether B. pseudomallei could be isolated from soil. We discovered a novel B. pseudomallei sequence type that caused lethal septic shock and identified B. pseudomallei and B. thailandensis in the environment. Our data suggest that melioidosis is emerging in Central Africa but is unrecognized because of the lack of diagnostic microbiology facilities.
authors.forename: W Joost
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wiersinga
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Birnie
authors.forename: Tassili A F
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Weehuizen
authors.forename: Abraham S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Alabi
authors.forename: Michaëla A M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Huson
authors.forename: Robert A G
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Huis in 't Veld
authors.forename: Harry K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Mabala
authors.forename: Gregoire K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Adzoda
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Raczynski-Henk
authors.forename: Meral
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esen
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lell
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Kremsner
authors.forename: Caroline E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: Vanaporn
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wuthiekanun
authors.forename: Sharon J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Peacock
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van der Ende
authors.forename: Direk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Limmathurotsakul
authors.forename: Martin P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Grobusch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D016957:Burkholderia pseudomallei / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002648:Child; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008554:Melioidosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial