The rains have started and Territorians need to be ‘Melioidosis aware’.
Particularly in the Top End, residents and visitors are reminded to protect themselves from the potentially deadly soil-borne disease, melioidosis.
Contact with mud, ground water and aerosolised soil during the wet season increases the chance of exposure to the melioidosis bacteria.
“During the Dry season, melioidosis bacteria live deep within the soil, but after heavy rains they can be found in surface water and mud and aerosolised soil. In past years, an increase in cases usually follows heavy rains as well as after cyclones and floods,” Dr Vicki Krause, Director of Centre of Disease Control said.
“Cuts and sores are the perfect entry point for the bacteria to invade the body but it can also be inhaled if it’s stirred up by the wind.”
Melioidosis can be a life threatening disease, which requires prompt and aggressive antibiotic treatment. The time from infection to acute disease ranges from one to 21 days. Melioidosis can cause a variety of symptoms and signs including skin ulcers or sores that fail to heal, abscesses, unexplained fevers, weight loss, fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, urinary symptoms and occasionally neurological problems such as headache and confusion
Melioidosis infection can lead to severe pneumonia and blood poisoning with 10 - 15 percent of infections ending in death, even with best medical care.
“In our last wet season, there were 53 cases of melioidosis reported in the Northern Territory with 5 deaths.”
People most at risk of developing melioidosis have an underlying condition that impairs the immune system. These conditions include diabetes, heavy alcohol intake, cancer, advanced age kidney and lung disease.
Drugs used to treat cancer and long term steroid therapy can also impair the immune system.
While most people diagnosed with melioidosis have one or more risk factors, healthy people can become infected if they are working in mud, soil or pooled water without good hand and foot protection.
All people in the Top End are advised to take some simple precautions to minimise the risk of contracting this disease.
“Protect your feet from getting cuts and being exposed to mud - wear shoes and boots if working in mud. If you are working with soil or mud-soaked items, wear gloves.”
"If you have cuts or blisters and compromised skin, make sure you keep the area clean and covered and protected from soil."
People using high pressure hoses around soil should cover their mouths and noses as the bacteria can be inhaled. It’s very important that people who are particularly at risk of getting melioidosis stay indoors during heavy wind and rain.
Anyone concerned about melioidosis should visit their local GP or hospital.
Further information on melioidosis can be obtained from the Centre for Disease Control on 8922 8044, your local doctor and community care/health centres.
A fact sheet with more information on melioidosis is available at https://nt.gov.au/wellbeing/health-conditions-treatments/bacterial/melioidosis
Media contact: Sally Edwards 0491 228 375