According to recent reports, a new silent killer could be lurking in your gardens, as experts warn that a bacteria responsible for multiple deaths in Australia could have been spread to the US through hurricanes and tropical storms.
The bacteria, Burkholderia pseudomallei, is present in soil and water in tropical regions and has recently been found in American gardens, the CDC recently shared.
Burkholderia pseudomallei can cause melioidosis, a lung infection that could result in pneumonia or sepsis. The CDC notes that it has a mortality rate of up to 50% in some cases.
So far this year, five people in Australia have died of the disease, which is contracted after contact with contaminated soil.
Bart Currie, a professor of medicine at the Menzies School of Health Research, recently spoke with Yahoo News about the bacteria, sharing that it most likely made its way to the US through hurricanes, tropical storms, and other inclement weather.
“The most serious way that people can get it is when there’s severe weather events, such as monsoonal storms, and in particular, when there are tropical cyclones with wind and rain, the bacteria are aerosolized, and people can then breathe it in,” Currie shared with the outlet.
Currie went on to say that those caught in storms and severe weather who are even healthy could get “very sick from it.”
“That’s what causes the most severe form of melioidosis, which is a very severe pneumonia, which turns into blood poisoning,” Currie shared.
The CDC reports that cases of melioidosis have been found in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and even Mississippi, despite the bacteria being most commonly found in Australia and Asia.
Last year, the CDC declared the situation endemic because of the spread of the disease on the Gulf Coast.
Symptoms that can occur include fever, headache, muscle pain, confusion, trouble breathing, chest pain, and seizure.
Those concerned about possible infections are encouraged to contact their healthcare provider.