Burkholderia pseudomallei Isolate from Soil Adhering to Underground Pipeline Repair pit of a Delhi Market Highlights Importance of Improvising Policies Addressing Environmental Pathogens

Abstract

Background: Burkholderia pseudomallei is a Gram –negative bacteria that can cause the fatal disease of Melioidosis with mortality ranging from 21-40% in different countries. Further, Burkholderia pseudomallei is a highly resilient environmental pathogen and can live as a free-living bacterium in soil, water and a parasite within amoeba, fungi, and animal cells.  It is known to have developed adaptation to stressful environmental factors like salinity, iron levels, and oxidation.  Widely this pathogen is associated with agricultural activities, construction activities and hence farmers, laborers being the important target groups. The other risk factor for this disease includes Diabetes mellitus and India having increasing incidence of diabetes cases is a matter of concern as for the prevalence of melioidosis. Since certain states and places in India have higher incidence of diabetes like Delhi, it is quite possible to have higher incidence of Melioidosis in these places. Approach: Environmental Screening of urban village that has a convergence of vegetable market and urban households.  Results: In this report, we demonstrate the presence of Burkholderia pseudomallei in a 3-4 feet deep pipeline repair pit with a rusted iron pipeline in a busy market area in Kotla, South Delhi. Conclusion: Burkholderia pseudomallei being an environmental pathogen, it becomes essential to focus on policies that govern environmental pollution. Thus, the construction and demolition (C&D) policies that govern the dismantling of underground repair pipelines, especially in crowded areas, needed to be followed as it is not only dust that pollutes but also human pathogens.