A 40-year-old farmer from Thailand presents with an abscess in the right parotid gland. Blood cultures grow Burkholderia pseudomallei. What is unusual...

Question

A 40-year-old farmer from Thailand presents with an abscess in the right parotid gland. Blood cultures grow Burkholderia pseudomallei. What is unusual about the clinical presentation of melioidosis?

Accepted Answer

Melioidosis is a 'great mimicker' - it can present as pneumonia, septicaemia, localised abscess in virtually any organ (liver, spleen, prostate, parotid, bone, joint, CNS), or chronic infection mimicking TB or malignancy

Answer

It only presents as pneumonia

Answer

It only affects immunocompetent individuals

Answer

It is always self-limiting

Answer

It is only acquired from person-to-person contact

uk-dtmh MCQ (SBA): Melioidosis as Great Mimicker

A 40-year-old farmer from Thailand presents with an abscess in the right parotid gland. Blood cultures grow Burkholderia pseudomallei. What is unusual about the clinical presentation of melioidosis?