Three days ago, I got an email from a friend in Australia telling me she will go to a funeral of a father of three who died from a ant sand bite will he was in Thailand.

Today I ring the same friend and she told me someone else who was in Thailand caught the disease.

I ask her to email me the name of it:

Melioidosis

(Whitmore's Disease)

Is that common, something the newspaper do not talk about?

Is that common, something the newspaper do not talk about?

There are several studies regarding this disease and it seems to be predominant in Northeast Thailand but also fairly rare, especially for foreigners (tourists) that would not normally be exposed to the environment it would be in.

Melioidosis, an environmental and occupational hazard in Thailand

The Epidemiology of Melioidosis in Ubon Ratchatani, Northeast Thailand

An exotic pulmonary infection in Thailand: Melioidosis

6 Tsunami survivors diagnosed with it.

I see not reason to consider it a news media cover up but more of it being fairly rare.

Moved to the Health forum.

fascinating...

like any other obscure disease that is prevalent only in certain areas after specific exposure... reminds me of the jericho fly disease (Leishmania major) we have near the dead sea.

i dont see tourists being afraid to come to israel because of it although it is very very prevalent in that area.

and no one ever writes up about it with travel warnings. it just means that when u become ill, u should always let your doc know where u have been and what u occupations u have had (i worked with sheep/goats so q fever and others would be on my list of nasties for me)

most docs only recognize illnesses that are common in their own backyards so to speak; they cant think of every single possibility nor do most health plans allow that kind of blood work up.

bna

israel

...