TY - JOUR
T1 - Short report
T2 - Repeat blood culture positive for B. pseudomallei indicates an increased risk of death from melioidosis
AU - Limmathurotsakul, Direk
AU - Wuthiekanun, Vanaporn
AU - Wongsuvan, Gumphol
AU - Pangmee, Sukanya
AU - Amornchai, Premjit
AU - Teparrakkul, Prapit
AU - Teerawattanasook, Nittaya
AU - Day, Nicholas P.J.
AU - Peacock, Sharon J.
PY - 2011/6
Y1 - 2011/6
N2 - Melioidosis, a bacterial infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is notoriously difficult to cure despite appropriate antimicrobial therapy and has a mortality rate of up to 40%. We demonstrate that a blood culture positive for B. pseudomallei taken at the end of the first and/or second week after hospitalization for melioidosis is a strong prognostic factor for death (adjusted odds ratio = 4.2, 95% confidence interval = 2.1-8.7, P < 0.001 and adjusted odds ratio = 2.6, 95% confidence interval = 1.1-6.0, P = 0.03, respectively). However, repeat cultures of respiratory secretions, urine, throat swabs, or pus/surface swabs provide no prognostic information. This finding highlights the need for follow-up blood cultures in patients with melioidosis.
AB - Melioidosis, a bacterial infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is notoriously difficult to cure despite appropriate antimicrobial therapy and has a mortality rate of up to 40%. We demonstrate that a blood culture positive for B. pseudomallei taken at the end of the first and/or second week after hospitalization for melioidosis is a strong prognostic factor for death (adjusted odds ratio = 4.2, 95% confidence interval = 2.1-8.7, P < 0.001 and adjusted odds ratio = 2.6, 95% confidence interval = 1.1-6.0, P = 0.03, respectively). However, repeat cultures of respiratory secretions, urine, throat swabs, or pus/surface swabs provide no prognostic information. This finding highlights the need for follow-up blood cultures in patients with melioidosis.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79958740023&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0618
DO - 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0618
M3 - Article
C2 - 21633019
AN - SCOPUS:79958740023
SN - 0002-9637
VL - 84
SP - 858
EP - 861
JO - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
JF - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
IS - 6
ER -
