Melioidosis mimicking tubercular cold abscess

Burkholderia pseudomallei is a Gram-negative bacillus found in soil. The infection is thought to occur by inoculation or inhalation. It usually affects people with predisposing factors like diabetes mellitus and chronic alcoholism. A 36-year-old man, on the treatment of diabetes in the past 4 years, on oral hypoglycaemic drugs, presented to us with pain and insidious onset of swelling over left loin like a lumbar cold abscess. He underwent incision and drainage of the abscess. As per the culture report, we used ceftazidime for 2 weeks, followed by cotrimoxazole for 6 months. Surgical drainage of large abscesses is indicated. A dedicated team of microbiologist and physicians is required to identify and treat the disease. Orthopaedic manifestations are uncommon.

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