What to do to prevent Whitmore disease?

Whitmore is a disease caused by bacteria called Burkholderia pseudomallei.

Recently, Dak Lak recorded the first death case due to Whitmore disease in Ea Sup commune. In the photo: The patient's living area. Photo: VNA

Whitmore is a disease caused by bacteria called Burkholderia pseudomallei. This bacteria exists in the environment, occurring in people who are regularly exposed to mud, soil, and water such as farmers, construction workers, gardeners, sewer dredgers, etc. The disease has a diverse clinical course and symptoms, requiring differential diagnosis from many diseases.

Recently, many provinces and cities across the country have recorded cases of Whitmore disease, including deaths.

Typically, on September 11, Dak Lak province recorded the first local death due to Whitmore disease. Since the beginning of 2025, the whole province has recorded 3 cases of Whitmore disease.

The deceased was patient SSP (born in 1965, in sub-area 280, Ea Sup commune). According to information from relatives, from July 2025, the patient began to show symptoms of fever, cough, fatigue and had been examined and treated many times at district and provincial hospitals with a diagnosis of pneumonia but did not recover.

On August 7, the patient's condition worsened with symptoms of high fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. He was transferred to the Central Highlands General Hospital and then to Cho Ray Hospital ( Ho Chi Minh City).

On August 16, the patient underwent surgery to remove the entire abscess and continued treatment with strong antibiotics according to the protocol. However, the patient's condition did not improve, the patient suffered severe respiratory failure, had to be put on a ventilator and was transferred back to the Central Highlands General Hospital.

On August 31, after the patient's condition worsened, the family asked to send him home and he died shortly thereafter. On September 8, test results showed that the patient was positive for the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei, the agent that causes Whitmore's disease.

According to medical experts, Whitmore's disease often develops acutely with symptoms such as pneumonia, infection of bones and joints, nervous system, liver, spleen, prostate, sepsis, or septic shock. The disease can develop chronically with symptoms of pneumonia like tuberculosis or abscesses of many organs like staphylococcal infection.

The disease is transmitted through the respiratory tract or contact with the environment containing bacteria. Especially when there are scratches on the skin, the risk of infection is higher and the disease progresses faster.

People with one or more underlying diseases such as diabetes, alcoholism, chronic lung, kidney, and liver disease, especially diabetes, are at high risk of infection, which can easily cause dangerous and unpredictable complications and can lead to death.

Medical experts recommend that, to prevent Whitmore disease, people should not come into direct contact with dirty, stagnant water for a long time, especially when there are skin wounds, scratches, bleeding; or people with many underlying diseases. Protective gear should be worn when working in agriculture to prevent infection through the limbs. Medical staff need to be fully protected when in contact with sick people to prevent infection as much as possible.

When a patient has a fever, inflammation, or abscesses in many places, the risk of Whitmore should be considered immediately, especially in people with diabetes. When suspected of infection, go to a medical facility for consultation, timely diagnosis, and treatment.

The main preventive measures are to ensure personal hygiene, environmental hygiene, use labor protection when working in contact with soil, mud, contaminated water or in unsanitary environments, clean and disinfect contaminated skin tears, scratches or burns, and eat cooked food and drink boiled water...

PV (synthesis)

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/can-lam-gi-de-phong-tranh-benh-whitmore-520729.html