Abstract
Melioidosis, an infectious disease caused by
Burkholderia pseudomallei
, is an important cause of sepsis in tropical areas of Eastern Asia, mainly affecting immunocompromised adults. Diabetes mellitus is the most important host risk factor. Here, the authors report a case of a 54-year-old Saudi male with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus for 10 years who presented to our hospital with a 6-week history of fever, cough, night sweats and weight loss. The patient was a frequent traveler to the Philippines, with his last visit being during the rainy season 2 weeks before the onset of symptoms. Definite diagnosis of melioidosis was not made because of insufficient facility to culture the organism in our laboratory; nevertheless, a diagnosis of melioidosis was made based on the cumulative clinical scenario. The patient was discharged on trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole and doxycycline for 3 months and showed significant improvement at follow-up. For prompt diagnosis and treatment, clinicians must maintain a high index of suspicion for melioidosis in febrile patients with a history of traveling to endemic areas, especially diabetic patients.