• About
  • Masthead
  • License Content
  • Advertise
  • Submit Press Release
  • RSS/Email List
  • Write for us
  • Contact us
2 Minute Medicine
No Result
View All Result

No products in the cart.

SUBSCRIBE
  • Specialties
    • Cardiology
    • Chronic Disease
    • Dermatology
    • Emergency
    • Endocrinology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Imaging and Intervention
    • Infectious Disease
    • Nephrology
    • Neurology
    • Obstetrics
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Pediatrics
    • Preclinical
    • Psychiatry
    • Public Health
    • Pulmonology
    • Rheumatology
    • Surgery
  • The Scan
  • Wellness
  • Classics™
    • 2MM+ Online Access
    • Paperback and Ebook
  • Rewinds
  • Visual
  • Partners
    • License Content
    • Submit Press Release
    • Advertise with Us
  • AccountLog-in/out
    • Subscribe
    • Sign-in
    • My account
2 Minute Medicine
  • Specialties
    • Cardiology
    • Chronic Disease
    • Dermatology
    • Emergency
    • Endocrinology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Imaging and Intervention
    • Infectious Disease
    • Nephrology
    • Neurology
    • Obstetrics
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Pediatrics
    • Preclinical
    • Psychiatry
    • Public Health
    • Pulmonology
    • Rheumatology
    • Surgery
  • The Scan
  • Wellness
  • Classics™
    • 2MM+ Online Access
    • Paperback and Ebook
  • Rewinds
  • Visual
  • Partners
    • License Content
    • Submit Press Release
    • Advertise with Us
  • AccountLog-in/out
    • Subscribe
    • Sign-in
    • My account
SUBSCRIBE
2 Minute Medicine
Subscribe
Home All Specialties Chronic Disease

Melioidosis outbreak is associated with imported aromatherapy spray

byDavid XiangandHarsh Shah
March 9, 2022
in Chronic Disease, Imaging and Intervention, Public Health
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

1. Melioidosis, caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is rarely diagnosed in the US, and patients with melioidosis usually report travel to melioidosis-endemic areas.

2. Recent melioidosis outbreak in the US was linked to an aromatherapy spray product.

Evidence Rating Level: 4 (Below Average)

Study Rundown: Melioidosis is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, which naturally occurs in soil and water in tropical and subtropical regions. The bacterium is transmitted via inhalation, ingestion, or percutaneously. Melioidosis manifests with a wide clinical syndrome, including skin abscesses without fever, pneumonia, generalized sepsis, genitourinary infection, and encephalomyelitis. Moreover, it is very rare in the US, with only about 12 cases reported per year to the CDC, predominately associated with recent travel to melioidosis-endemic areas. However, there is a gap in knowledge as to understanding non-travel related transmission of melioidosis, and this study reports a cluster of 4 cases of melioidosis that occurred in the US over a few months that was found to be associated with aromatherapy spray from Better Homes and Gardens that had been imported from India to the United States. This study was limited by a small patient pool and the relative rarity of melioidosis infection in the US. Nevertheless, these study’s findings are significant, as they demonstrate that exposure to imported products from where melioidosis is endemic can be a cause of transmission, and thus patients with a compatible illness, even if they haven’t traveled to these endemic regions, should still be considered for closer assessment for melioidosis.

Click to read the study in NEJM

Relevant Reading: A Tricky Diagnosis

In-Depth [case reports]: This series of 4 case reports followed 4 patients in Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota, and Texas who reported to have isolates that matched an isolate of B. pseudomallei obtained from a bottle of aromatherapy room spray from Better Homes and Garden, labeled as a “highly fragranced essential oil” with lavender and chamomile scent, imported from India to the United States. All 4 patients did not have a history of travel to melioidosis-endemic areas but were exposed to the aromatherapy room spray. They were all hospitalized early in their clinical course, and two eventually had positive blood cultures that confirmed melioidosis pneumonia. One patient died quickly from disseminated melioidosis that was complicated with Covid-19 infection, one patient had progression to fatal septic shock, one patient had a prolonged ICU stay with ongoing neurologic recovery, and one patient survived despite the development of melioidosis-related septic arthritis and osteomyelitis. For future suspected cases, a culture of B. pseudomallei from any specimen is diagnostic for the disease. Additionally, it is suggested that patients with isolates identified by automated systems as burkholderia be reevaluated for possible infection with B. pseudomallei, as confirmatory testing should be performed. Overall, this study demonstrated that there is a risk of melioidosis associated with exposure to imported products from endemic areas. This finding suggests that patients who have acute respiratory or neurologic symptoms should be considered candidates for melioidosis if they do not respond to initial treatment.

RELATED REPORTS

#VisualAbstract: Secukinumab reduces symptoms of moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa

Secukinumab reduces symptoms of moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa

Early restrictive fluid management does not reduce mortality in sepsis-induced hypotension

Image: PD

©2022 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. All rights reserved. No works may be reproduced without expressed written consent from 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. Inquire about licensing here. No article should be construed as medical advice and is not intended as such by the authors or by 2 Minute Medicine, Inc.

Tags: Burkholderia pseudomalleigenitourinary infectionmelioidosismyalgic encephalomyelitispneumoniasepsisskin abscess
Previous Post

Injury risk in trail running is associated with extrinsic and intrinsic factors

Next Post

Reliever-triggered inhaled glucocorticoid therapy in among Black and Latinx adults with asthma

RelatedReports

StudyGraphics

#VisualAbstract: Secukinumab reduces symptoms of moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa

March 24, 2023
Hidradenitis suppurativa associated with increased risk of subclinical atherosclerosis
Chronic Disease

Secukinumab reduces symptoms of moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa

March 16, 2023
Hypotonic IVF linked to increased risk of hyponatremia
Chronic Disease

Early restrictive fluid management does not reduce mortality in sepsis-induced hypotension

February 17, 2023
Hypotonic IVF linked to increased risk of hyponatremia
Emergency

Balanced intravenous solutions reduce risk of hyperchloremia in the pediatric intensive care unit

January 5, 2023
Next Post
Evidence-based interventions for pediatric asthma successfully adapted for community health centers

Reliever-triggered inhaled glucocorticoid therapy in among Black and Latinx adults with asthma

#VisualAbstract: Delayed receipt of adjuvant hormone therapy is associated with worse survival in HR⁺, ERBB2- breast cancer

#VisualAbstract: No difference in survival between fluorouracil, cisplatin, or carboplatin-based paclitaxel therapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Tremor and memory symptoms prior to diagnosis demonstrate the strongest associations with subsequent Parkinson disease

License Our Award-Winning Physician-Written Medical News and Visual Abstracts

2 Minute Medicine is the leading authoritative medical news licensing service, and the only with reports written by practicing doctors.

LICENSE CONTENT

2MM+ Premium Access

No ads & unlimited access to all current reports, over 9000 searchable archived reports, visual abstracts, Weekly Rewinds, and the online edition of The Classics Series™ textbook.

Subscription Options
2 Minute Medicine

2 Minute Medicine® is an award winning, physician-run, expert medical media company. Our content is curated, written and edited by practicing health professionals who have clinical and scientific expertise in their field of reporting. Our editorial management team is comprised of highly-trained MD physicians. Join numerous brands, companies, and hospitals who trust our licensed content.

Recent Reports

  • Metformin use may decrease risk of osteoarthritis development
  • Intensive blood pressure lowering by non-physician healthcare providers significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
  • Expectant management of patent ductus arteriosus noninferior to early ibuprofen use
License Content
Terms of Use | Disclaimer
Cookie Policy
Privacy Statement (EU)
Disclaimer

© 2021 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. - Physician-written medical news.

  • Specialties
    • Cardiology
    • Chronic Disease
    • Dermatology
    • Emergency
    • Endocrinology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Imaging and Intervention
    • Infectious Disease
    • Nephrology
    • Neurology
    • Obstetrics
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Pediatrics
    • Preclinical
    • Psychiatry
    • Public Health
    • Pulmonology
    • Rheumatology
    • Surgery
  • The Scan
  • Wellness
  • Classics™
    • 2MM+ Online Access
    • Paperback and Ebook
  • Rewinds
  • Visual
  • Partners
    • License Content
    • Submit Press Release
    • Advertise with Us
  • Account
    • Subscribe
    • Sign-in
    • My account

© 2021 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. - Physician-written medical news.

Want more physician-written
medical news?

Join over 10 million yearly readers and numerous companies. For healthcare professionals
and the public.

Subscribe for free today!

Subscription options