Melioidosis is caused by a bacterium named *Burkholderia pseudomallei*, which lives naturally in soil and water, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. This bacterium thrives in wet environments such as muddy soils, stagnant water, and flooded areas. People or animals become infected when they come into contact with these contaminated sources.
The main ways melioidosis spreads to humans include:
– **Direct contact with contaminated soil or water**, particularly through cuts, scrapes, or other breaks in the skin. For example, farmers working barefoot or people wading through floodwaters are at risk because the bacteria can enter the body through even tiny skin wounds.
– **Inhalation of contaminated dust or water droplets** that contain the bacteria. This can happen during heavy rains, storms, hurricanes, or when soil is disturbed by wind or human activity. The bacteria become airborne and can be breathed into the lungs.
– **Ingestion of contaminated food or drinking water** that has not been properly treated. Consuming unclean water from natural sources where *B. pseudomallei* lives may lead to infection.
Person-to-person transmission is extremely rare; melioidosis mainly arises from environmental exposure rather than from another infected individual.
Certain weather conditions play a significant role in increasing melioidosis cases because heavy rainfall and flooding bring *B. pseudomallei* to the surface of soils and spread it widely through floodwaters and mud. Tropical storms like monsoons, cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons create ideal conditions for this bacterium to infect people who come into contact with these elements during such events.
The disease is most common in tropical areas including Southeast Asia (such as Thailand), northern Australia (especially Queensland), parts of South Asia including India’s subcontinent region, southern China including Hong Kong and Taiwan; it also occurs sporadically elsewhere like Puerto Rico and some parts of the southern United States such as Mississippi’s Gulf Coast region where local environmental reservoirs have been identified.
People who have certain underlying health problems are more susceptible to developing severe forms of melioidosis after exposure:
– Diabetes mellitus
– Chronic kidney disease
– Chronic lung diseases like COPD
– Excessive alcohol use
These conditions weaken immune defenses making it easier for *B. pseudomallei* to cause serious infections once inside the body.
Animals such as sheep, goats, pigs, horses dogs cats cows can also get infected by coming into contact with contaminated soil or water containing this bacterium; thus melioidosis affects both humans and animals living near endemic environments.
To sum up how infection happens: The bacterium lives quietly underground but comes alive on rainy days when floods push it up onto surfaces where people walk around barefooted or work outdoors without protection — then if someone breathes dust carrying bacteria during storms or drinks untreated muddy water — they risk catching this potentially dangerous illness caused by *Burkholderia pseudomallei*.
