A Case Report: Mediastinal lymph node infection caused by Burkholderia thailandensis in a Thai monk

Authors

  • Jaruphat Asawaplungkul Internal medicine section, Priest Hospital, Bangkok

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14456/dcj.2022.78

Keywords:

mediastinum, lymph node infection, Burkholderia thailandensis

Abstract

Burkholderia thailandensis, the bacteria which is closely related to Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, rarely causes human infection. This report presents a case of mediastinal lymph node infection with this bacterium in a healthy 49-year-old Thai monk with a history of one pack-year cigarette smoking and exposure to soil around a temple in Prachin Buri Province. This is the second human case of B. thailandensis infection in Thailand. He presented productive cough and high-grade fever for two weeks and a nodular infiltration at the lateral segment of right middle lobe (RML) was noted on initial chest X-ray (CXR). His clinical symptoms did not improve after empirical treatment with ceftriaxone and no causative agent was isolated from sputum and blood culture. Widening mediastinum including the right paratracheal area was noted on follow-up CXR. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest demonstrated multiple rim enhancing mediastinal lymph nodes, 3.15 cm-diameter mass-like consolidation in the middle lobe of right lung and two lung nodules. B. thailandensis was isolated from microbiological culture of mediastinal lymph node concurrently with the results from indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) test revealed the melioid-IgM and IgG antibody titer more than four-fold rising from <1:50 and 1:50 to 1:800 and 1:1,600, respectively. After treatment with ceftazidime for five weeks together with sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, his clinical symptoms gradually improved. Decreasing size of the mediastinal lymph node and radiologic infiltration were observed on subsequent CXR.

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Published

2022-12-30

How to Cite

1.
Asawaplungkul J. A Case Report: Mediastinal lymph node infection caused by Burkholderia thailandensis in a Thai monk. Dis Control J [Internet]. 2022 Dec. 30 [cited 2024 Nov. 18];48(4):934-41. Available from: https://he01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/DCJ/article/view/251192