Acute low grade fever and atypical pneumonia in Asian’s epidemic area-melioidosis is an unequivocally important diagnostic differential

• Main Authors: Abdullah, Noraini Sarina, Ahmad Saad, Fathinul Fikri, Mohamed Said, Shahrir
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: OMICS International 2015
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/43654/1/Acute%20low%20grade%20fever%20and%20atypical%20pneumonia%20in%20Asian%E2%80%99s%20epidemic%20area-.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/43654/; http://www.omicsgroup.org/journals/acute-low-grade-fever-and-atypical-pneumonia-in-asians-epidemic-areamelioidosis-is-an-unequivocally-important-diagnostic-differential-2168-9784-1000S1003.pdf
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

Background: High grade fever and atypical pneumonia in a susceptible Asian epidemic area could construe fatal consequences attributable to specific prevalence factitious organism: i.e Bukholderia pseudomallei. Case report: A 59 years old Indonesian man with predisposing factors of meliodosis initially presented with acute shortness of breath and severe frontal headache associated in Emergency Department of Hospital Teluk Intan, Malaysia. He had history of prolonged low grade fever and non-productive cough for 5 days. Methods/Results: Culture and sensitivity test for blood and pleural fluid were negative for pathogenic organism. The specific tests for tuberculosis were non-reactive for Tuberculos bacilli. The specific oxidase-negative culture and sensitivity for psedomonas was positive after day 3 of hospitalisation and the IGM-ELISA titre antibody level for meliodosis was positive. The patient was well responded to immediate treatment and was discharged for a regular outpatient follow-up for eradication therapy. Conclusion: This case report documents the potential symptoms associated with atypical pneumonia in recognising Meliodosis in an epidemic Asian area. Early suspicion may avert untowards fatal consequences and improved the quality of life.