Burkholderia

Question 1

B. mallei general characteristics

Answer 1

Nonencapsulated

• nonmotile rod
• aerobic
• oxidase and catalase positive
• reduces nitrates
• nonhemolytic

Question 2

B. mallei is an ______ of equidae

Answer 2

Obligate pathogen

• causes glanders = systemic pyogranulomatous infection
• only important in Asia
• highly contagious, characterized by tubercles that ulcerate (nasal, pulmonary, and skin)

Question 3

Disease in horses

Answer 3

Chronic with episodic fever

• nasal: ulcerative nodules on mucosa of nasal septum and lower turbinates, purulent hemorrhagic nasal discharge
• respiratory: distress and turbercle lesions in lung
• cutaneous: lymphangitis with nodules in lymphatic vessels of the limbs, ulcers

Question 4

Chronically infected animals

Answer 4

May die after several months or recover and continue to shed B. mallei from the skin or respiratory tract

Question 5

Acute form

Answer 5

Septicemia with fever, mucopurulent nasal discharge, respiratory signs
- death within a few weeks

Question 6

Transmission

Answer 6

Acquired by ingestion of food or water contaminated by nasal discharge of infected horses
- less commonly acquired via inhalation or skin abrasion

Question 7

Nodular lesions

Answer 7

• initially neutrophils, fibrin, and RBCs
• neutrophils degenerate and central necrotic area becomes surrounded by granulation tissue with epithelioid cells and lymphocytes
• ulceration typically occurs near skin surface

Question 8

Disease in accidental hosts

Answer 8

Fatal septicemia

• acquired from infected horses
• localized infection: regionally confined on skin or mucosal membrane
• pulmonary infection
• septicemic glanders can be transient or fulminant and fatal

Question 9

Who are accidental hosts?

Answer 9

People, cats, dogs

Question 10

Is B. mallei eradicated in North America?

Answer 10

Yes

• skin testing (DTH) with mallein
• equine imports from endemic areas are tested and euthanized if positive

Question 11

______ was one of the first biowarfare weapons

Answer 11

B. mallei

- used in WW1 by germans

Question 12

B. psuedomallei

Answer 12

Motile by polar flagella

• saprophyte, ubiquitous in tropical environments
• prevalence is unaffected by elimination of infected animals

Question 13

P. psuedomallei disease

Answer 13

Melioidosis

• wide host range
• suppurative or granulomatous nodules throughout tissues
• chronic course with progressive emaciation = death
• transmitted through ingestion, wound infection, possibly arthropod bites
• human transmission via consumption of contaminated animal products or airborn

Question 14

Disease is typically ______

Answer 14

Systemic