Bacteria Genomes - BURKHOLDERIA MALLEI

Burkholderia mallei (formerly known as Pseudomonas mallei), the etiologic agent of glanders, which is mainly a horse disease but in rare cases affects humans, has come under renewed scientific investigation as a result of recent concerns about its past and potential future use as a biological weapon. Glanders was believed to have been used during the first World War to infect the horses and mules that carried supplies, and during World War Two on horses, civilians and prisoners of war and more recently in Afghanistan, it is considered to be a Category B bioterrorist agent as listed on the Centers for Disease Control list.

Burkholderia bacteria are rod-shaped, motile, Gram-negative bacteria that are capable of both pathogenic characteristics and are generally obligately aerobic. Burkholderia bacteria are commonly found in the soil and in groundwater worldwide. Burkholderia and related bacteria have been found at soils of all temperatures including Arctic soil of 7C.

First described by Hippocrates in 425 B.C., glanders is difficult to diagnose and often fatal. The types of infection include localised, pus-forming cutaneous infections, pulmonary infections, bloodstream infections, and chronic suppurative infections of the skin. Generalised symptoms of glanders include fever, muscle aches, chest pain, muscle tightness, and headache. Additional symptoms have included excessive tearing of the eyes, light sensitivity, and diarrhea. Glanders is transmitted to humans by direct contact with infected animals. The bacteria enter the body through the skin and through mucosal surfaces of the eyes and nose. The sporadic human cases have been documented in veterinarians, horse caretakers, and laboratorians.

Geographically, the disease is endemic in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Central and South America. There is no vaccine available for glanders. In countries where glanders is endemic in animals, prevention of the disease in humans involves identification and elimination of the infection in the animal population.

References:

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 101(39):14247-14251 (2004)
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/glanders_g.htm#whatis
http://biology.kenyon.edu/Microbial_Biorealm/bacteria/proteobacteria/Burkholderia/Burkholderia.htm
http://www.tigr.org/msc/mallei/mallei.shtml