Melioidosis is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by a native soil bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. It is a common cause of serious pneumonia and blood poisoning in the Top End of Australia. The bacteria live below the soil's surface during the dry season, but after heavy rainfall can be found in surface water and mud and may become airborne. Recent wet seasons have seen a dramatic increase in infections around Darwin. With the expansion of residential areas and irrigated agriculture in northern Australia, there is an even greater risk of exposure to Melioidosis. Mark Horstman follows the Melioidosis trail in tropical north Australia. (http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/3623445.htm)
