The bacterium, known as B. pseudomallei, causes melioidosis and has been found in environmental samplings of soil and water in the Gulf Coast region of southern Mississippi while the agency was ...

The soil investigations in Mississippi were prompted by two cases of melioidosis in unrelated people living in the region in recent years. Person-to-person spread is extremely rare.

Bacteria that causes melioidosis, a rare and serious condition that can affect any organ, has been found in Mississippi soil. It’s the first time the bacteria has been identified in soil in the ...

The Mississippi State Department of Health said most healthy people who come into contact with the bacteria, which is through direct contact with contaminated soil or water, never develop melioidosis.

The bacteria, Burkholderia pseudomallei, was found along the Gulf Coast region of Southern Mississippi. Previously, it had been detected in parts of Asia and Australia.