Study by Oxford University shows that India is highly infected by Melioidosis

An Oxford university study pointed out that many people in India are vulnerable to Melioidosis infection.  The disease is known for mimicking other diseases which makes it difficult to detect in patient. The new data reveals that the melioidosis might be more widely spread in countries than expected.

The disease is already among rarely researched and studied topics, according to the study published in Nature Microbiology. The scientists are exploring global distribution patterns of meliodosis.

The data released by scientists predicts that the said disease killed more than 89,000 people last year. Drinking water, lungs and skin are the main contamination points of the disease. The bacterium of meliodosis has become resistant to many anti-microbial medicines and treatments. More than 70 percent infected people are vulnerable to death if it is not properly treated.

DirekLimmathurotsakul, head of Microbiology from Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit based in Bangkok informed,” It (Melodosis) especially affects the rural poor in the tropics who often do not have access to microbiology labs, which means that it has been greatly underestimated as an important public health problem across the world.”

The study concluded that better microbiology labs are important for early detection and cure of the detect this disease. Along with India, Vietnam is also vulnerable to massive infection. People suffering from the chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus or people with high consumption of alcohol are part of high risk groups of melioidosis.

The Oxford University study predicted that the melioidosis infections are going to increase in people and animals of India.