Associate Professor, Dr. Do Duy Cuong - Director of the Tropical Disease Center, Bach Mai Hospital said that the Center continuously receives cases with symptoms of fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, swelling and abscesses in some areas of the body. The signs and symptoms of the patients are very similar and often confused with tuberculosis and staphylococcal infections.
Upon admission, the doctors at the Tropical Diseases Center diagnosed a suspected case of Whitmore's disease and quickly performed blood and pus cultures from the abscesses. Along with the urgent diagnosis, the doctors provided a treatment regimen for Whitmore's disease for the patient and closely monitored clinical signs. After the test results detected the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei, the bacteria that causes Whitmore's disease (Melioidosis), the patient was explained and advised on a long-term treatment regimen to avoid recurrence.
Associate Professor, Dr. Do Duy Cuong presented 3 patients with underlying diabetes who had Whitmore's disease. Patient T.V.L, 58 years old (Soc Son, Hanoi) was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia, prostate and rectal abscesses, poor appetite, and weight loss. Abscesses are foci of infection caused by bacteria. According to the patient, there were also cases of death from Whitmore's disease in the area where he lived.
Patient P.C.G, 48 years old (Can Loc, Ha Tinh) is a farmer, construction worker, often exposed to mud and dirt. The patient was admitted to the hospital with fever, swelling, pain, abscess on the left hand, and pain in the bones. Previously, the patient had many abscesses in different locations on the body, recurring, and treatment at the previous level could not find the cause.
Patient V.D.L (45 years old, Truc Ninh, Nam Dinh), normal health history. The patient had high fever for many days, painful swelling in the right buttock, cough with phlegm, difficulty breathing, and was admitted to the hospital in a state of severe septic shock.
Associate Professor, Dr. Do Duy Cuong said that Whitmore's disease often develops acutely with symptoms such as pneumonia, infection of bones and joints, nervous system, liver, spleen, prostate, sepsis, or septic shock. The disease can develop chronically with symptoms of pneumonia like tuberculosis or abscesses in many organs like staphylococcal infection.
The disease is transmitted through the respiratory tract or contact with the environment containing bacteria. Especially when there are scratches on the skin, the risk of infection is higher and the disease progresses faster.
People with one or more underlying diseases are susceptible to dangerous, unpredictable complications that can lead to death.
To minimize the risk of Whitmore, Associate Professor, Dr. Do Duy Cuong recommends: “People should not come into direct contact with dirty, stagnant water for a long time, especially when there are skin wounds, scratches, bleeding; or people with many underlying diseases, should wear protective gear when doing agricultural work to prevent infection through hands and feet. Medical staff and doctors need to ensure protection when coming into contact with sick people, to prevent infection as much as possible.”
