It probably feels like there’s no shortage of diseases to worry about thanks to dirty water. Cholera, typhoid and hepatitis A can all come from contaminated liquid.
Unfortunately, another one seems to be on the rise with melioidosis.
Melioidosis is also referred to as Whitmore Disease or the bacterium’s more complicated name, Burkholderia pseudomallei.
The bacterium survives in stagnant, murky water and soil and when rains fall, it also has the ability to become airborne. It is commonly found in animals, but humans can also become very ill with this harmful germ. For example, a person may cut their hand while doing some landscaping, farming or construction work. The bacteria will then enter the body through that small entryway.