Melioidosis cases study in Central Vietnam after historical flood 2020

Introduction: Melioidosis (Whitmore) is a severe acute bacterial infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei. Melioidosis transmitted to humans from soil and water environments; especially when exposed to flood water, which can cause epidemics because flood currents carry bacteria to a large area. After the historical floods in the Central region an outbreak of Melioidosis occured. Objectives: 1) To investigate the relationship between the outbreak of melioidosis and the 2020 floods. 2) To describe some characteristics of melioidosis patients in the North Central provinces after the floods in 2020. Subjects and research methods: Patients in the central provinces where the flood has just occurred, were diagnosed melioidosis, treated at Hue Central Hospital from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Results and discussion: In 2020, there were 43 patients melioidosis, but only during the 3-month period of floods from October 1 to December 31, 2020 there were 33 patients (76.74%). The rate of diseases appearing in 3 months with floods was 3.1 times higher than the rate of 25% diseases appearing every 3 months, p < 0.0001. The majority of patients (81.4%) are farmers and live in rural areas (76.7%). The mean age was 56.14 ± 14.85. Most of the patients had chronic diseases such as diabetes (34.9%), chronic kidney disease (9.3%), chronic lung disease (34.9%), 18.6% alcoholism. 72.1% of patients had sepsis, the most commonly damaged organs were the lungs (69.8%) and abscesses of the liver, spleen, and kidney (27.9%). There were 13 patients died (30.2%). Conclusion: The rate of melioidosis patients in 3 months with floods was 3.1 times higher than the average rate of disease appearing every 3 months (p < 0.0001). Most patients had risk factors such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung disease, alcoholism. The most commonly injured organs are the lungs and abscesses of the liver, spleen, and kidneys. The mortality rate was 30.2%. Key words: Melioidosis, historical floods