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 ...

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.

Melioidosis thrives in the soil of tropical and subtropical regions of the world, but, so far, is a rare occurrence in the U.S. Of the approximately 12 cases reported each year in the U.S., the ...