Misidentification of Burkholderia pseudomallei as Acinetobacter species in northern Thailand.

Background: Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, a disease endemic throughout the tropics.

Methods: A study of reported Acinetobacter spp. bacteraemia was performed at Chiang Rai provincial hospital from 2014 to 2015. Isolates were collected and tested for confirmation.

Results: A total of 419 putative Acinetobacter spp. isolates from 412 patients were re-identified and 5/419 (1.2%) were identified as B. pseudomallei. Four of the five patients with melioidosis died. An estimated 88/419 (21%) isolates were correctly identified as Acinetobacter spp.

Conclusions: Misidentification of Acinetobacter spp. as B. pseudomallei or other bacteria is not uncommon and programmes to address these shortfalls are urgently required.