Microbes, infectious diseases and the causal relationship that links them
The MicroGnome was busy in Queensland last week, revisiting his roots in soil microbiology at the 19th World Congress of Soil Science. His lecture on environmental aspects of melioidosis can be found on the Priobe Net via this link.
Other recent material on melioidosis and its corresponding priobe can be found either here on the Priobe Net or the MicroGnome site.
An editorial on melioidosis was posted recently by our colleagues at Life in the Fastlane.
Happy digging!
Once again melioidosis is in the news. Queensland Health’s Dr Jeff Hanna has highlighted the melioidosis hot spot recently identified in the vicinity of Townsville, and Darwin melioidosis export Prof Bart Currie fronts up on the ABC’s 7.30 Report tonight.
Changing climate conditions in the north, particularly in the northwest, are thought to be responsible for some of the apparent increase in cases that can be blamed on severe weather events. But occupational activities as diverse as expansion of farming, the mining industry and even the local film industry could all contribute to an increase in meaningful encounters with a contaminated environment, and therefore subsequent cases of infection.
For a recent on-line review on melioidosis, see Life in the Fast Lane.
An update on how to treat melioidosis has just been posted by one of the open-source, on-line journals. This article provides a handy summary of current treatment options in a Table, dividing treatment into three phases of infection: 0, 1 and 2.
Melioidosis is a complex bacterial infection, treatment of which combines the urgency of treating rapidly fatal Gram negative septicaemia with the need for eradication of long-term persistent disease in pulmonary, soft tissue, skeletal and other organ systems. Incremental improvements in treatment have been made as a result of multicentre collaboration across the main endemic region of Southeast Asia and northern Australia.
There is an emerging consensus on the three main patterns of antimicrobial chemotherapy; initial (Phase 1) treatment, subsequent eradication (Phase 2) therapy and most recently post-exposure (Phase 0) prophylaxis. The combination of agents used, duration of therapy and need for adjunct modalities depends on the type, severity and antimicrobial susceptibility of infection. New antibiotic and adjunct therapies are at an investigational stage but on currently available data are unlikely to make a significant impact on this potentially fatal infection.
This treatment guide has been added to our FAQ page. The entire article can be obtained via the journal’s website.
Reference:
Inglis, T.J. The Treatment of Melioidosis. Pharmaceuticals 2010, 3, 1296-1303 [Reference]
Here are a few questions to tickle the grey cells while you kick back and prepare for another week battling germs. You might even want to use the comment option to fire back dot point, short notes style answers:
Have a look around the site for clues before you finalise your answer.
μgnome, 20th March
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