Journal of Bacteriology & Parasitology

Melioidosis in India: Current challenges and future perspectives

International Congress on Bacteriology & Infectious Diseases

November 20-22, 2013 DoubleTree by Hilton Baltimore-BWI Airport, MD, USA

Bijayini

Accepted Abstracts: J Bacteriol Parasitol

Abstract:

Melioidosis is a disease of public health importance in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. Melioidosis is believed to be an emerging infectious disease in India, as is evident from increasing number of published case reports and case series, particularly from southern India. These published cases are believed to represent the tip of the iceberg, and little is known about the true incidence of the disease in India. Limited awareness of the disease, confusion with other conditions such as tuberculosis, and laboratory constraints all probably contribute to under diagnosis of melioidosis .The routine clinical microbiology laboratory must characterize every isolate of Gram negative, oxidase positive organisms obtained from blood or any body tissue, fluid or pus, instead of labeling them as Pseudomonas or Pseudomonas-like organism. We will discuss the challenges faced by clinical microbiology laboratories in identifying Burkholderia pseudomallei, spectrum of clinical presentations as well as recent reports of ceftazidime resistance from the Indian sub-continent, as traditionally it has been the treatment of choice in the acute/intensive phase.

Biography :

Bijayini is presently Chief Consultant Microbiology and Deputy Chair person Hospital Infection control committee at Yashoda Hospital, Secunderabad. She holds M.D. Microbiology degree from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. She has authored thirty articles in various indexed International and National journals and co-authored book on Hand Hygiene, published by Kothari group of publishers. Her current research focuses on molecular and epidemiological study of beta-lactamase producing Gram negative nosocomial pathogens.