TY - JOUR
T1 - Drivers of melioidosis endemicity
T2 - epidemiological transition, zoonosis, and climate change
AU - Birnie, Emma
AU - Biemond, Jason J.
AU - Wiersinga, W. Joost
N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by a Research Grant (2018) from the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID to E.B.) and the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (VIDI grant number 91716475 to W.J.W.). Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. All rights reserved.
PY - 2022/6/1
Y1 - 2022/6/1
N2 - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Melioidosis, caused by the soil-dwelling bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, is a tropical infection associated with high morbidity and mortality. This review summarizes current insights into melioidosis' endemicity, focusing on epidemiological transitions, zoonosis, and climate change. RECENT FINDINGS: Estimates of the global burden of melioidosis affirm the significance of hot-spots in Australia and Thailand. However, it also highlights the paucity of systematic data from South Asia, The Americas, and Africa. Globally, the growing incidence of diabetes, chronic renal and (alcoholic) liver diseases further increase the susceptibility of individuals to B. pseudomallei infection. Recent outbreaks in nonendemic regions have further exposed the hazard from the trade of animals and products as potential reservoirs for B. pseudomallei. Lastly, global warming will increase precipitation, severe weather events, soil salinity and anthrosol, all associated with the occurrence of B. pseudomallei. SUMMARY: Epidemiological transitions, zoonotic hazards, and climate change are all contributing to the emergence of novel melioidosis-endemic areas. The adoption of the One Health approach involving multidisciplinary collaboration is important in unraveling the real incidence of B. pseudomallei, as well as reducing the spread and associated mortality.
AB - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Melioidosis, caused by the soil-dwelling bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, is a tropical infection associated with high morbidity and mortality. This review summarizes current insights into melioidosis' endemicity, focusing on epidemiological transitions, zoonosis, and climate change. RECENT FINDINGS: Estimates of the global burden of melioidosis affirm the significance of hot-spots in Australia and Thailand. However, it also highlights the paucity of systematic data from South Asia, The Americas, and Africa. Globally, the growing incidence of diabetes, chronic renal and (alcoholic) liver diseases further increase the susceptibility of individuals to B. pseudomallei infection. Recent outbreaks in nonendemic regions have further exposed the hazard from the trade of animals and products as potential reservoirs for B. pseudomallei. Lastly, global warming will increase precipitation, severe weather events, soil salinity and anthrosol, all associated with the occurrence of B. pseudomallei. SUMMARY: Epidemiological transitions, zoonotic hazards, and climate change are all contributing to the emergence of novel melioidosis-endemic areas. The adoption of the One Health approach involving multidisciplinary collaboration is important in unraveling the real incidence of B. pseudomallei, as well as reducing the spread and associated mortality.
KW - Burkholderia pseudomallei
KW - climate change
KW - epidemiological transition
KW - melioidosis
KW - one health
KW - zoonosis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85131338314&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1097/QCO.0000000000000827
DO - https://doi.org/10.1097/QCO.0000000000000827
M3 - Review article
C2 - 35665713
SN - 0951-7375
VL - 35
SP - 196
EP - 204
JO - Current opinion in infectious diseases
JF - Current opinion in infectious diseases
IS - 3
ER -