We searched our hospital’s computerized microbiology
database for candidate individuals with melioidosis, and these
patients were included in this study. Candidates were patients
from whom a culture grown from any specimen was positively
identified asB pseudomallei. Culture specimens were obtained
between January 2001 and December 2007, and only patients
whose medical records showed that the culture specimen was
obtained during their visit to the ED were included in the
study. Patients who were not admitted to the hospital after
visiting the ED were excluded from the study. This study was
approved by the Institutional Review Board and the need for
informed consent was waived