Acute or fulminant melioidosis (Q60641)

Acute melioidosis typically presents as an acute pneumonia following inhalation or inoculation of the causative bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei. This may progress to fulminant septic shock with multiple abscesses in the lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys or brain. There is a significant mortality, which in the majority of cases is associated with preexisting risk factors, especially diabetes, alcoholism or chronic renal disease. Infection in children may present with acute parotiditis.