The worsening melioidosis outbreak in Queensland
The worsening melioidosis outbreak in Queensland has been a focus for the advocacy group. The Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases said cases of melioidosis had been gradually increasing over the last few years.
"This year's event seems to have had a lot more cases than we would expect, even accounting for that increase over the years," Trent Yarwood from the society said.
Dr Yarwood said it was understood heavy rain could bring the bacteria to the surface of the soil, with subsequent rain splashes then allowing the bacteria to travel upwards into the air through water droplets.
But he said it was not clear how long the bacteria could stay in those droplets in the air.
Dr Yarwood said people with chronic diseases and compromised immune systems were most at risk and needed to take "sensible" precautions, including wearing gloves in the garden, a mask when pressure washing or moving soil, and gumboots in the rain.
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