Misidentification of Burkholderia pseudomallei as Acinetobacter species in northern Thailand
Greer RC., Wangrangsimakul T., Amornchai P., Wuthiekanun V., Laongnualpanich A., Dance DAB., Limmathurotsakul D.
Abstract Background Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, a disease endemic throughout the tropics. Methods A study of reported Acinetobacter spp. bacteraemia was performed at Chiang Rai provincial hospital from 2014 to 2015. Isolates were collected and tested for confirmation. Results A total of 419 putative Acinetobacter spp. isolates from 412 patients were re-identified and 5/419 (1.2%) were identified as B. pseudomallei. Four of the five patients with melioidosis died. An estimated 88/419 (21%) isolates were correctly identified as Acinetobacter spp. Conclusions Misidentification of Acinetobacter spp. as B. pseudomallei or other bacteria is not uncommon and programmes to address these shortfalls are urgently required.