Soil characteristics influencing the spatial distribution of melioidosis in Far North Queensland, Australia

The environmental bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei, is responsible for the potentially fatal disease melioidosis. Factors responsible for the temporospatial distribution of cases are incompletely understood, although a combination of rainfall, groundwater levels and the physicochemical properties of soil are important. The distribution of culture-positive cases of melioidosis from 1996 to 2016 in Far North Queensland, Australia, was investigated to determine the association with different soil types and landforms in Cairns, the region's largest city. Cases were clustered on alluvial fan landforms of strongly bleached gradational textured and yellow massive gradational textured soils indicating these soils are more suitable for B. pseudomallei and risk of melioidosis infection is higher in these areas, cases were less frequent on other soil types on alluvial fan landforms (despite comparable population density) and beach ridges. This indicates that the combination of these soils might be more suitable for B. pseudomallei, increasing the risk of disease in these locations. Sociodemographic characterisics of the population in cluster locations were considered. Knowledge of local soil characteristics may help predict cases of melioidosis and inform public health strategies to prevent the disease. Because melioidosis case clusters were identified, testing for the presence of B. pseudomallei across the study area is a useful target of future research.