MELIOIDOSIS AND TUBERCULOSIS CO-INFECTION IN A NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETIC PATIENT WITH NECK ABSCESSES.

YAP WHL¹, WONG ER¹, ABBASI SM², PANDE KC¹

¹Department of Orthopaedics and ²Department of OtoRhinoLaryngology, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital,  Jalan Putera Al-Muhtadee Billah, Bandar Seri Begawan BA1710, Negara Brunei Darussalam.

ABSTRACT

The occurrence of melioidosis and tuberculosis co-infection is uncommon and rarely reported. We report a case of 39-year-old woman who presented with bilateral neck absceses resulting from co-infection with Burkholderia pseudomallei and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The patient was successfully treated after drainage of neck abscesses with extensive phase of antibiotic for melioidosis and with anti-tubercular treatment. It is important to consider co-infection especially in endemic areas for both the diseases.

Keywords: Abscess, Co-infection, Diabetes Mellitus, Melioidosis, Tuberculosis.

Correspondence: Dr Ketan C Pande, Consultant in Orthopaedics, RIPAS Hospital. Negara Brunei Darussalam.

Email: ketanpande@yahoo.com

Tel: 2242424 ext 5614

Brunei Int Med J. 2020;16:29-33