Abstract
We isolated Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, from liver granulomas of a pet green iguana (Iguana iguana) in Belgium. This case highlights a risk for imported green iguanas acting as a reservoir for introduction of this high-threat, zoonotic pathogen into nonendemic regions.
Highlights
We isolated Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, from liver granulomas of a pet green iguana (Iguana iguana) in Belgium
Isolation of B. pseudomallei has been anecdotally documented in crocodiles [10], and clinical infections have been reported in 2 pet green iguanas in California, USA [11] and a pet green iguana in Prague (Czech Republic) [4]
Previously reported B. pseudomallei–infected iguanas [4,11] and the 1 reported in this study were presumably imported from disease-endemic regions, highlighting the potential role of this species as a reservoir of B. pseudomallei
Summary
We isolated Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, from liver granulomas of a pet green iguana (Iguana iguana) in Belgium. The incubation period in humans is typically 1–21 days, clinical disease might develop years after infection [9]. Isolation of B. pseudomallei has been anecdotally documented in crocodiles [10], and clinical infections have been reported in 2 pet green iguanas in California, USA [11] and a pet green iguana in Prague (Czech Republic) [4].
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