Journal of Bacteriology & Parasitology

Melioidosis and Glanders: Diseases in search of animal models, vaccines, and therapeutics

2^nd International Congress on Bacteriology & Infectious Diseases

November 17-19, 2014 DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Chicago-North Shore, USA

Kei Amemiya

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Bacteriol Parasitol

Abstract:

Although melioidosis and glanders are diseases that are not well known in the Western hemisphere, they are endemic in other parts of the world. The diseases are caused by two closely related but diverse bacterial species: Burkholderia pseudomallei and B. mallei, respectively. Melioidosis is endemic in Southeast Asia and Northern Austrialia and can be found in both humans and animals. Melioidosis can present as an acute septicemic, febrile illness to chronic disease with local abscess formation. Susceptibility to the disease is especially high in immunocompromised individuals, such as diabetics. It can be isolated from soil or water, and an increase in the incidence of melioidosis appears to be associated with the rainy season in Southeast Asia. Glanders, on the other hand, is a zoonotic disease that is closely associated with horses, donkeys, and mules, although other animals are susceptible to the disease. It is endemic in regions of the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and South America. Transmission to man usually occurs by direct contact with an infected animal or in the laboratory by contact or inhalation of the organism. B. mallei cannot be found in the environment except associated with an infected host. Glanders can also present as an acute febrile, septicemic illiness to a chronic illiness, with the presence of local abscesses or nodules. Both B. pseudomallei and B. mallei are considered facultative intracellular pathogens with multiple mechanisms for antibiotic resistance that make them more difficult to treat and require an extended antibiotic treatment regimen. They are considered as Category B agents by the CDC. There is no current vaccine available for melioidosis or glanders or consensus small or large animal model for either disease. We will present the immune response from current studies of a persistently infected murine model for melioidosis and glanders.