[Watch] Melioidosis In Sabah Causes Rugby Field To Be Shut Down
The disease is transmitted through infected soil and polluted waters.
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Recently a video was shared on social media informing about the closure of a rugby field in Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah due to Melioidosis.
The video was shared by @maha_namanya two days ago on TikTok.
In the video, a notice from the Ministry of Health was shown saying that the field is closed for 30 days starting from 5 April 2024.
The people are advised to not use the field for any activities as a sample of the soil tested positive for Burkholderia Pseudomallei bacteria, which causes Melioidosis.
What is Meliodosis?
Also known as Whitmore’s illness, it is an infectious disease that can affect both people and animals.
The way that the disease infects humans and animals is when one of them has direct contact with polluted soil and water sources.
Those with diabetes have a high risk of getting infected by the disease.
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Symptoms And Complications
The symptoms of infection include fever, cough, headache, breathing troubles, abdomen pains, low appetite, and swellings.
The disease complications are lung infection, bacterial infection in the blood, and in more severe cases, death.
Prevention
The prevention method for this disease is to wear a face mask, gloves, and proper shoes when doing any activities with soil such as gardening.
Avoid contact with polluted water such as floods.
Also, make sure to wash your hands properly and take a proper shower after doing any activities involving soil.
Melioidosis In Malaysia
Melioidosis is a disease associated with farming that affects adults between the ages of 40 and 60 and is indigenous to Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Australia.
The two main routes of transmission are direct penetration through small cuts or skin abrasions and inhalation of contaminated dust.
In Malaysia and Singapore, melioidosis is prevalent, especially in those with diabetes mellitus.
High death rates are common, particularly in the bacteraemic type, which, in the absence of treatment, can exceed 100%.
However, the death rate can be brought down to 37–54% with vigorous intensive care and effective management. Four to five percent of cases with localised melioidosis result in death. The overall death rate in Pahang was 54%, but it was only 19% in Australia.
This difference could be attributed to the bacteraemic form’s greater prevalence and physicians’ ignorance of the proper course of treatment.
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