Childhood melioidosis in northeastern Thailand.

Eighteen cases of childhood melioidosis in Northeastern Thailand were reviewed. The mean age was 6.8 years with a range from eight months to 15 years. Twelve cases (66.7%) had localized melioidosis, six of which had pneumonia. Three patients were diagnosed as pharyngocervical melioidosis, the newly recognized syndrome. Nine cases (50.0%) had associated diseases including dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) in five cases. In all five cases, melioidosis was diagnosed during the convalescent stage as a cause of pyrexia with or without pneumonia. Pseudomonas pseudomallei strains isolated from 12 patients were all sensitive to chloramphenicol, cotrimoxazole and kanamycin. Ceftazidime, cefotaxime and ceftriaxone were also active against all six isolates tested. Three cases died, all were diagnosed as disseminated septicaemic melioidosis at postmortem. The overall mortality rate was 16.7%. The septicaemic form of melioidosis can resemble many diseases such as septicaemia due to Staphylococcus aureus or gram-negative organisms other than P. pseudomallei while the localized from may mimic pulmonary tuberculosis. A high index of clinical suspicion is required in making a diagnosis of melioidosis, particularly in areas where the disease is endemic.