Melioidosis complicated with pericardial effusion - An emerging disease with a rare presentation

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Case Report

Author Details : Monika Sivaradjy, Lokesh Koumar, Lakshmi Shanmugam, Ketan Priyadarshi, Deepanjali Surendran, Apurba Sankar Sastry*

Volume : 7, Issue : 2, Year : 2021

Article Page : 116-119

https://doi.org/10.18231/j.ijmmtd.2021.025

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Abstract

Melioidosis, caused by a non-fermenting gram negative bacilli Burkholderia pseudomallei, can mimic a variety of diseases due to its diverse clinical presentation. The incidence of cardiac involvement in melioidosis is less than 1%. We report a rare case of melioidosis in a 65 year old male with chronic kidney disease who presented with fever and pericardial effusion which was misdiagnosed and treated as tuberculous pericardial effusion. Later, on isolation of Burkholderia pseudomallei from paired blood
culture samples, pericardial fluid and also from pleural fluid confirmed the diagnosis of disseminated melioidosis. The patient was treated with intravenous ceftazidime after which clinical improvement was observed. Cardiac melioidosis should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of tuberculous pericardial effusion and it should be ruled out before the start of anti-tubercular treatment. This will prevent unnecessary exposure to anti-tubercular drugs and also aids to start early treatment for melioidosis thereby reducing the mortality.

Keywords: Melioidosis, Pericardial effusion, Burkholderia pseudomallei.

How to cite : Sivaradjy M , Koumar L , Shanmugam L , Priyadarshi K , Surendran D , Sastry A S, Melioidosis complicated with pericardial effusion - An emerging disease with a rare presentation. IP Int J Med Microbiol Trop Dis 2021;7(2):116-119

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