in soil and natural water bodies in rural Sri Lanka: A hidden threat to public health.

is the causative agent of the potentially fatal infection, melioidosis. This study provides the first evidence for the presence of in soil and water in Sri Lanka. Targeted sampling of soil and natural water sources was done between November 2019 and October 2020 over eight field visits encompassing the neighborhood of 28 culture and/or antibody-positive melioidosis patients in northwestern, western and southern Sri Lanka.