Investigation of Melioidosis Using Blood Culture and Indirect Hemagglutination Assay Serology among Patients with Fever, Northern Tanzania.

Investigation of Melioidosis Using Blood Culture and Indirect Hemagglutination Assay Serology among Patients with Fever, Northern Tanzania. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2020 Sep 28;: Authors: Maze MJ, Elrod MG, Biggs HM, Bonnewell J, Carugati M, Hoffmaster AR, Lwezaula BF, Madut DB, Maro VP, Mmbaga BT, Morrissey AB, Saganda W, Sakasaka P, Rubach MP, Crump JA Abstract Prediction models indicate that melioidosis may be common in parts of East Africa, but there are few empiric data. We evaluated the prevalence of melioidosis among patients presenting with fever to hospitals in Tanzania. Patients with fever were enrolled at two referral hospitals in Moshi, Tanzania, during 2007-2008, 2012-2014, and 2016-2019. Blood was collected from participants for aerobic culture. Bloodstream isolates were identified by conventional biochemical methods. Non-glucose-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli were further tested using a Burkholderia pseudomallei latex agglutination assay. Also, we performed B. pseudomallei indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA) serology on serum samples from participants enrolled from 2012 to 2014 and considered at high epidemiologic risk of melioidosis on the basis of admission within 30 days of rainfall. We defined confirmed melioidosis as isolation of B. pseudomallei from blood culture, probable melioidosis as a ≥ 4-fold rise in antibody titers between acute and convalescent sera, and seropositivity as a single antibody titer ≥ 40. W...
Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene - Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Tags: Am J Trop Med Hyg Source Type: research