Glanders
Overview
Glanders is an infectious disease that is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei. Glanders is primarily a disease affecting
Symptoms
* Pus-forming skin infections * Pulmonary infections * Bloodstream infections * Chronic suppurative infections * Fever
Causes
An infectious disease caused by a bacterium (Burkholderia mallei). It is usually a disease that affects horses and mules but can also infect other animals and humans. Human infection usually occurs in laboratory settings or in those with prolonged contact with infected animals
Prevention
Prevention of illness after contact: Antibiotics are not routinely used to prevent infections but may be considered by a health care professional. The drug of choice is a sulfa-based drug called TMP-SMX.
Diagnosis
Glanders is diagnosed through special laboratory tests. Depending on the type of glanders, samples may be taken from different parts of the body. Glanders is treated with antibiotics. Healthcare providers choose the antibiotic based on the patient’s symptoms and the results of laboratory tests.
Treatment
* Treatment of illness: Because human cases of glanders are rare, there is little information about the effectiveness of antibiotic treatment. Some medicine has been found to work in experiments with animals and humans. Your health care provider will determine the best course of treatment.