Background: Melioidosis, a lethal infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, an important human pathogen in tropical regions, is notorious for its diverse clinical presentations.
Methods: We report a case of a 55-year-old woman with a history of total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma five years back, who presented with complaints of chest pain, abdominal distention, and breathlessness for one week. Ultrasound-guided aspiration of the peritoneal free fluid revealed a thick gelatinous material consistent with pseudomyxoma peritonei. Cytologic analysis of the aspirate was negative for malignant cells, but bacterial culture proved positive for Burkholderia pseudomallei.
Results: She was started on ceftazidime, and she improved symptomatically and was discharged on oral doxycycline and chloramphenicol after three weeks of intravenous antibiotic therapy.
Conclusion: This case is being reported to emphasize an unusual presentation of melioidosis and the significance of timely appropriate antibiotic therapy.