A traveller presenting with severe melioidosis complicated by a pericardial effusion: a case report.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Burkholderia pseudomallei, the etiologic agent of melioidosis, is endemic to tropic regions, mainly in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. Melioidosis occurs only sporadically in travellers returning from disease-endemic areas. Severe clinical disease is seen mostly in patients with alteration of immune status. In particular, pericardial effusion occurs in 1-3% of patients with melioidosis, confined to endemic regions. To our best knowledge, this is the first reported case of melioidosis in a traveller complicated by a hemodynamically significant pericardial effusion without predisposing disease.

Case presentation

A 44-year-old Caucasian man developed pneumonia, with bilateral pleural effusions and complicated by a hemodynamically significant pericardial effusi

SUBMITTER: Schultze D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3532095 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature