Melioidosis
The presence of bacteria causing melioidosis has been detected in water and soil samples in Mississippi. Though there is no clarity on how long the bacteria existed in the environment before 2020, or how it has reached the U.S., according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) the environmental conditions in the Gulf Coast are conducive to the growth of B. pseudomallei which is responsible for soil contamination.
The CDC has requested that people visiting or residing in Mississippi protect the open wound, cuts, and burns with band-aids and avoid contact with muddy water and soil. The risk of the infection in the general population is low along with only rare cases of person-to-person transmission.
