Subcutaneous Surprise

Melioidosis is a zoonosis caused by the accidental pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei, which is endemic in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. The mortality of melioidosis is 20-50% even with treatment. Suppurative lymphadenitis caused by melioidosis has been rarely encountered by clinicians practicing in endemic areas. In the majority of previously described patients, the infected lymph nodes were in the head and neck region, except for four patients who presented with unilateral, inguinal lymphadenitis. Hence, we report a case of unilateral suppurative inguinal lymphadenitis caused by B. pseudomallei in a 48-year-old lady who presented with groin swelling of 2 months duration.