Melioidosis in a returned traveler: Case report and review of the imported cases in Oman

Abstract

Melioidosis is an emerging tropical infectious disease in travelers. We present a case of travel related melioidosis in a 65-year-old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and end stage renal disease following a two-week business trip to Thailand and attendance of the Songkran festival. This case emphasizes that vigilance, heightened clinical suspicion, and use of appropriate microbiology diagnostic tools are of paramount importance for a timely diagnosis and successful management. With the ever-increasing global travel, infectious diseases specialists, microbiologists, and public health professionals are constantly challenged by unfamiliar infections in returned travelers.