Consider the following statements regarding Melioidosis:

1. Melioidosis is a bacterial infectious disease primarily acquired by ingestion of soil- and water-dwelling environmental saprophytes.

2. The disease is strongly influenced by environmental factors such as rainfall, temperature, and humidity, which affect bacterial survival and transmission.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

In News

•  A study conducted in Odisha has revealed that melioidosis infections peak during and after the monsoon season, highlighting the role of environmental factors in disease transmission.

Key Points

• Melioidosis is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei.
• The infection is primarily acquired through inoculation, inhalation, or ingestion of soil- and water-dwelling environmental saprophytes.
  • Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
• The spread of melioidosis is influenced by environmental factors such as rainfall, temperature, and humidity, which affect bacterial survival and transmission.
• The recent study in Odisha mapped melioidosis cases over nine years and confirmed a clear seasonality, with infections peaking during and after the monsoon.
  • Hence, Statement 2 is correct.

Additional Information

• Melioidosis is known for its high fatality rate (up to 50%) in septicemic cases. 
• Due to its varied symptoms, it is often misdiagnosed as pneumonia or tuberculosis.
• As climate change alters rainfall patterns and increases extreme weather events, melioidosis may become more widespread in the future.