Melioidosis: epidemiology and antibiogram of cases in Singapore.

There has been an increased incidence of melioidosis in Singapore. The disease affects mainly males, older patients and a disproportionately higher number of Indians and Malays. Possible predisposing illness include diabetes mellitus. Most patients are bacteraemic. Mortality rate is 72% for bacteraemic patients, as compared to 32% for non-bacteraemic patients. Local strains of Pseudomonas pseudomallei have been consistently sensitive to ceftazidime, chloramphenicol and piperacillin, and nearly always sensitive to tetracycline.