A Case of Melioidosis Probably Acquired by Inhalation of Dusts During a Helicopter Flight in a Healthy Traveler Returning From Singapore

We present a case of melioidosis in an Italian male returning from Singapore after a short travel. He probably acquired the disease by inhalation, which is not the typical mode of transmission, in the absence of evident risk factors. The diagnosis was confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction of the culture while serology was useful to assess professional exposure among laboratory workers. Treatment consisted of an initial intensive phase with meropenem and trimethoprim-sulfamethaxazole (TMP-SMX), followed by 6 months of eradication therapy with TMP-SMX.