What drives the occurrence of the melioidosis bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei in domestic gardens?

ABSTRACT: Melioidosis is an often fatal infectious disease affecting humans and animals in tropical regions and is caused by the saprophytic environmental bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. Domestic gardens are not only a common source of exposure to soil and thus to B. pseudomallei, but they also have been found to contain more B. pseudomallei than other environments. In this study we addressed whether anthropogenic manipulations common to gardens such as irrigation or fertilizers change the occurrence of B. pseudomallei. We conducted a soil microcosm experiment with a range of fertilizers and soil types as well as a longitudinal interventional study over three years on an experimental fertilized field site in an area naturally positive for B. pseudomallei. Irrigation was the only consistent trea

SUBMITTER: Kaestli M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4372393 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature