January 2010

Recent findings from the Menzies School of Health Research show the potentially deadly melioidosis bacterium has been found in a third of all tested bores in rural Darwin. 

The bacterium is most commonly found in the soil of tropical environments throughout Australia and Southeast Asia.

Menzies’ Project Manager Mark Mayo says people are generally infected with melioidosis through contact with soil, but says research shows the bacteria can also be found in bore water.

He says for the last eight years Menzies has been working to find out just how many bores in the Darwin area contain melioidosis.

“It came about in response to patients coming into the hospital from rural areas that had been using un-chlorinated water supplies. We thought we’d go out and test to see if there was any presence of the bacterium in their water. About one third of the bores that we’ve tested from patients and from non-patients we found the presence of the bacterium.”

Between 20 and 30 cases of melioidosis are reported across the top end every year.

Mark Mayo says that number isn’t growing, and the presence of melioidosis in bore water isn’t cause for panic.

“It just means that the bacterium is present in their environment and people should take the precautions necessary to protect themselves, wearing gloves and footwear when handling soil. If they have an illness, diabetes or an existing medical conditions and they do become ill then they should contact their GP and say our place has been tested, we do have the bacterium present here.”

Menzies is now hoping to expand that research with a new broad ranging study into the presence of the melioidosis bacteria in bores and aquifers across the Top End.

Mark Mayo says the new study will focus on why the melioidosis bacteria are present in certain areas and explore possible links to water parameters such as pH levels, the type of rock the water is in, and land management practices in the surrounding environment.

“The implications are with patient management. If we get patients into the hospital and we know they are from these high risk areas that we’ve found, then we can start treating them straight away and reduce the chance of them dying.”

For more information contact: Laetitia Lemke 0400 674 839