Meliodosis is caused by -

Ans. is 'b' i.e., Burkholderia pseudomallei Burkholderia pseudomallei (pseudomonas pseudomallei)o It is also known as Whitmore's bacilluso It is aerobic gram negative bacillus.o It is motile which differentiate it from nonmotile B. mallei.o It shows typical bipolar 'safety pin' appearance with methylene blue stain.o It is free living saprophyte normally found in soil, ponds and rice paddies and on products from endemic areaso It produces two heat labile toxins, one lethal and other necrotising.o It causes Meliodosis. Most common manifestation of melioidosis is acute pulmonary manifestation. Other manifestations are acute septicemia, localized skin infection, suppurative parotitis and chronic infectionso Virtually every organ can be affected and hence meliodosis has been called the "great imitator" of other infectious disease.o Isolation of organism on selective medium is diagnostic.o Ceftazidime is the drug of choice. Carbapenems (imipenem, meropenem) are also first line drugs.Meliodosis is also known as Vietnam Time-Bomb disease.