Australia : Record number contract melioidosis in NT

Article via 9 News, excerpt :

" A record 97 people have contracted a potentially fatal bacterial disease in the Northern Territory this wet season, health authorities say.

Acting director of the Centre for Disease Control in the Territory, Steven Skov said there had been 97 cases of melioidosis locally this wet season, resulting in nine deaths.

Dr Skov said the figure was a record number of cases, although not a record number of deaths, which has dropped in recent years due to better treatments and awareness of the disease.

The soil-borne disease is thought to lie dormant in the ground for most of the year, but comes to the surface when there is heavy rain during the wet season.

Those at risk of catching melioidosis include gardeners who come into close contact with soil and people with compromised immune systems.

During the past three years there has been a spike in the number of cases, which researchers had put down to strong wet seasons."

Australia : Research links melioidosis to stormwater run-off

Via ABC News :

" A north Queensland PhD student has uncovered a deadly link between stormwater run-off and the tropical disease melioidosis.

The disease can be fatal, and up until now was commonly believed to be spread through soil, where it naturally lives.

James Cook University's Andrew Baker discovered organisms linked to the disease in groundwater.

He says until more research is done, residents in the Torres Strait and north Queensland should take heed of the warning.

"You go out after rain and you see a lot of kids splashing around in the water and having fun," he said.

"If people are aware that this is a problem we can stop people going out playing in fresh water that is run-off then we could see a decrease in the number of casualties of melioidosis each year."

He says discovering the disease in stormwater run-off might explain why more infection rates are recorded after a big wet season."

Australia : Warning as three die from soil disease

Via The Australian, excerpt :

" Health authorities in northern Australia have warned residents to take precautions against a killer soil-borne illness after revealing it has caused three deaths and a record number of infections.

The disease, melioidosis, is caused by bacteria that live in the soil, and is a seasonal hazard across the Top End, as well as parts of Southeast Asia.

The Northern Territory Centre for Disease Control yesterday warned people to take extra care as the disease had infected 54 people so far this wet season - a record at this stage of the year. Three of the patients had died, with the most recent death at the end of last month.

CDC director Vicki Krause said the melioidosis season did not end until the rains abated and the ground dried out, meaning people would remain at risk of infection "for several months yet".

The disease is caused by bacteria called burkholderia pseudomallei, which normally live deep in the soil but after heavy rains can be found on the surface, in muddy puddles and can even be airborne."

Australia : Top End warned to beware of tropical diseases

Via ABC News, excerpt :

" The husband of federal MP Natasha Griggs is recovering in Royal Darwin Hospital after contracting the dangerous soil-borne disease melioidosis.

The Member for Solomon says her husband went to see a doctor because a cut on his leg was not healing.

Ms Griggs thinks he caught melioidosis while mowing the lawn, despite being vigilant."

Australia : Killer soil disease attacks MP's husband

Via NT News :

" THE HUSBAND of Federal MP Natasha Griggs is in hospital with the killer tropical disease melioidosis.

"Pretty scary stuff," she said in a tweet on social networking site Twitter.

"GP told my husband you have Melioidosis go straight to the hospital. Looks like a few days in Darwin Hospital for him."

A Territory man recently died from the soil-borne disease, which comes out when it rains.

As of the first week of January, 18 people had contracted the infection, also known as Nightcliff Gardener's Disease, 16 of them from Darwin.

Centre for Disease Control director Vicki Krause has said contact with mud, groundwater and soil during the Wet increased the likelihood of exposure to the bacterium."

Australia : Tropical disease warning after melioidosis death

Article via ABC Online, excerpt :

" A man has died from the bacterial disease melioidosis in the Top End.

There have been 18 recorded cases of the soil-borne disease so far this wet season.

Of those people who contracted the disease, 16 were from Darwin.

Professor Bart Currie heads the infectious diseases unit at Royal Darwin Hospital.

He says there are certain people at risk of contracting the disease and they need to be careful as the wet season continues.

"All our cases this year have had risk factors," he said.

"Indeed, over many years, we have never had anybody die from melioidosis who has been a healthy person.

"The most important risk factor of all is diabetes and the second most important risk factor, which seems to be on the increase in our cases, is hazardous alcohol use."

Melioidosis is caused by bacteria that live below the surface of soil during the dry season."

Mexico : IPN scientist discovers the toxin that causes melioidosis, high mortality in Asia

Machine translated article via La Chronica, excerpt :

" Mexican scientist, National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), Abimael Cruz Migoni discovered the toxin that causes melioidosis, which is a step toward developing a vaccine or drug against this disease that causes high mortality in Asia.

Melioidosis is an infection produced by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei and its acute form affects the lungs and causes from mild bronchitis to necrotizing pneumonia.

When the disease spreads through the body, is mortal. The finding of a graduate of the IPN is important because so far there is no effective treatment. Asia has a high rate of deaths, and are comparable to the number-causing Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and tuberculosis. FIND. Abimael Cruz, who performs a post-doctoral work at the Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Leeds, England, said the discovery of the toxin was recorded when conducting studies on structural proteins in the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, causing melioidosis.

In recent days, the journal Science published the finding. The scientist graduated from the Interdisciplinary Professional Unit Biotechnology (UPIBI) and the Centre for Research and Advanced Studies (CINVESTAV), clarified that the toxin showed that it is one of the weapons powerful forces to account Burkholderia pseudomallei, but not only, because by removing the gene that encodes the bacteria is causing the disease."

Malaysia : Mysterious deaths’ due to two diseases

Article via Free Malaysia Today, excerpt :

" KUCHING: After months of silence, the Sarawak Health Department has finally admitted that the ‘mysterious deaths’ of ‘some’ of the 10 people working in the Bakun dam area was due to fatal diseases known as melioidosis and leptospirosis.

Sarawak Medical Services director Dr Zulkifli Jantan said not all of those dead were from the Bakun dam.

Responding to an FMT news report, he said the10 fatalities were actually the total number of people who died from melioidosis and leptospirosis from January to July 23 in the state.

“The 10 persons are not exclusively from the Bakun area.

“The deaths were also from Kuching, Limbang, Betong, Tatau, Belaga, Kapit and Sri Aman.

“Apart from the deaths reported in Bakun area, one fatal case was reported in Kuching, Sri Aman, Betong and Limbang during the same period.

“To date, two clusters have been reported on melioidosis namely in Bakun hydroelectric project (Belaga) and the second was in Iron Wall logging camp in Kapit,” said Zulkifli in a statement.

But the statement did not clarify if the ‘few’ who died from the diseases were those who worked in the Bakun area.

Thousands of workers from all over the state have been working in the Bakun project."

Malaysia : Hidden bacteria

A long but very informatice article from The Star. It covers almost all aspect of Leptospirosis and Melioidosis which is currently spreading in several part of the country. Please take the time to read the whole article :

" To prevent leptospirosis and melioidosis, you need to know where they lurk in your surroundings.

It is easy to assume that leptospirosis and melioidosis are one disease, but with two names. However, that is far from true.

While both diseases are caused by bacteria, the type of bacteria and the source of the diseases are different. Leptospirosis is actually caused by bacteria found in rat urine and melioidosis by bacteria found in soil and water.

One reason for this misunderstanding could be due to fact that both the bacteria that cause the two diseases can occasionally be found in the same environment. This is shown in the recent outbreak in the Lubuk Yu recreational area near Maran, Pahang, where members of a rescue team were exposed to the groups of bacteria that cause leptospirosis Leptospira sp.) and melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei).

We’ve seen this before

Both leptospirosis and melioidosis are not new diseases. Leptospirosis, for instance, is an old disease. The first fatal case of leptospirosis was reported in Malaysia in 1925 by researcher W. Fletcher. However, the incidence of leptospriosis was only five per 100,000 population in 2009, which is low compared to the incidence of dengue (136.89 per 100,000 population), TB (63.95 per 100,000 population) and malaria (24.74 per 100,000 population)."

Malaysia : Report cases of bacterial infection to ministry

Via The Star :

" KUALA LUMPUR: All hospitals and clinics must report to the Health Ministry any bacterial infection case related to leptospirosis or melioidosis, which have so far caused the death of nine people.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said this was to enable swift action to control the spread of the bacteria.

He said the directive was issued to all hospitals and clinics following the latest casualty due to the bacterial infection.

“However, the public should not panic as it is still under control and can be wiped out if they keep their surroundings clean.

“The disease can be cured and we have antibiotics for it,” he told repor­ters after opening the International Conference on Chinese Kapitan Yap Ah Loy at the Kuala Lumpur Chinese Assembly Hall here yesterday.

Leptospirosis is present in rat urine while melioidosis is a water-and-earth-borne bacteria.

On Thursday, a volunteer in a search and rescue operation at Lubuk Yu in Maran, Pahang, Mohd Faizal Hassan, 40, died in Selayang Hospital of complications due to the bacterial infection."

Malaysia : Lubuk Yu claims 8th victim

Via New Straits Times, is it getting serious? Read the whole article, and you will learn that more outbreaks of Melioidosis and Leptospirosis has occurred in other parts of the country :

" KUANTAN: After spending more than a month at Selayang Hospital, Mohd Fadli Hassan became the latest victim to succumb to the deadly melioidisis and leptospirosis bacterial infection.

The 40-year-old hotel worker from Bentong, died of massive cerebral haemorrhage with underlying melioidosis sepsis at the hospital at 4.35pm on Thursday.

Fadli was involved in a rescue operation at the Lubuk Yu waterfall to locate his missing cousin, Saiful Azhar Azizam, on June 26.

The father of four was the eighth victim to die of the bacterial infection.

State Health committee chairman Datuk Hoh Khai Mun said Fadli, also a diabetic patient, was admitted to the hospital near Kuala Lumpur on July 1 after showing symptoms of the bacterial infection.

Fadli's cousin, Kamarul Azizam, 22, said the victim was at the waterfall on the second day of the search operation and fell ill when he returned to Kuala Lumpur. He added that Fadli was buried at the Simpang Pelangai cemetery in Bentong.

Hoh said a fireman, who was warded at Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital (Hoshas) in Temerloh, since early July, was allowed to return home on Thursday when his condition improved."

Malaysia : Special team to put bacteria to the test

Via The Star :

" KUANTAN: A special team will be set up by the state government to study the behaviour and strains of melioidosis and leptospirosis bacteria.

The move comes after 89 people were infected following the search and rescue operation of a drowned man in the Lubuk Yu recreational forest in Maran between June 26 and 30 and the death of a teenager in Bentong, who had no connection with the Lubuk Yu incident.

Cases had also been recorded in Jerantut, Maran and Lipis.

State Local Government, Environment and Health Committee chairman Datuk Hoh Khai Mun said the team would be led by the state health department and include a medical expert on the bacteria from the International Islamic University Malaysia.

“We want to study the behaviour and mobility of the bacteria and how they spread to other locations.

“From the findings, we can draw up measures to prevent the outbreak from happening again,” he told reporters after presenting prizes to winners of a district-level recycling campaign for primary and secondary students organised by a food and beverage company and Kuantan Municipal Council here on Thursday."

Malaysia : Another Rescuer May Be Infected With Melioidosis

A report from Bernama, which also contains some news about dengue :

" KUANTAN, July 28 : Another rescuer involved with the drowning rescue operation at Lubuk Yu, Maran last month, may be the latest victim of melioidosis and leptospirosis.

State Exco for Health Datuk Hoh Khai Mun said the 30 year-old fireman was on Tuesday admitted to Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital, Temerloh with fever.

"He went to hospital on July 8 for a backache but was on Tuesday warded with fever. Blood samples had been taken for examination," he told a press conference here Wednesday.Seven people had died due to the bacteria while four are being treated at Jengka Hospital, one at Temerloh hospital and one at Selayang Hospital, Selangor.

On dengue fever, Hoh said the state health department had identified six areas as epidemic zones in Pahang.They are Taman LKNP Maju Sekilau, Taman Tas, Taman Orkid Kubang Buaya, Taman Beserah, Taman Hong Seng Galing (all in Kuantan district) and Batu 14 (Raub).He said the health department had conducted fogging and search and destroy operation against aedes mosquitoes.

Pahang recorded 838 dengue cases in the first seven months compared to 568 cases for the corresponding period last year, a rise of 47.5 percent.Kuantan had the highest number with 480 followed by Temerloh (85), Rompin (60), Bentong (48), Maran (40), Raub (33), Jerantut (27), Lipis (24), Bera (23), Pekan (17) and Cameron Highlands (1)."

Malaysia : Infection kills seventh victim

Via The Star :

" KUANTAN: A Fire and Rescue personnel involved in the search and rescue operation in Lubuk Yu in Maran late last month has become the seventh person to die of bacterial infection.

Mohd Nor Abidin Ismail, 50, with the Jengka Fire and Rescue station was infected with two different strains of bacteria – melioidiosis, a water and earth-borne bacteria, and leptospirosis, which is present in rat urine.

He died at Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital in Temerloh at 3.11am yesterday and was buried before zohor prayers.

He was married with seven children.

State Local Government, Envi­ronment and Health Committee chairman Datuk Hoh Khai Mun said yesterday that Mohd Nor’s condition gradually worsened, and he also suffered from diabetes.

With Mohd Nor’s death, five people remain warded in the aftermath of that search and rescue operation."

Malaysia : Bacteria killed rescuers, says Liow

Via The Star :

" MARAN: The six villagers, who died within a week after taking part in the search and rescue operation of a drowning victim in the Lubuk Yu recreational forest near here, have been confirmed to be affected by two different strains of bacteria – leptospirosis and melioidosis.

The dead were identified as Zakaria Ayub, 52, Azizam Abdullah, 58, Timothy Hoo Seng Heng, 29, Zainal Abidin Ismail, 56, Lim Sin Lai, 55, and Mohd Ali Abdullah, 60.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said yesterday, the villagers succumbed to the disease due to delayed medical treatment.

Seven others were undergoing treatment, three of them at the Temerloh hospital, two at Jengka Hospital and one each at Selayang Hospital and Kuantan Medical Centre.

“The six who died became ill a week after taking part in the search and rescue operation and suffered from fever, cough, muscle aches and diarrhoea,” he told reporters after attending a briefing on the incident here."