Melioidosis, caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is a zoonotic disease (shared between humans and animals) with rodents as reservoirs and soil as its natural habitat. Farmers, due to the nature of their work, are at risk of infection with this disease as well as other pathogenic Burkholderia species. There is limited information about the physicochemical properties of soil associated with the presence or absence of this organism in different regions of Iran. Antimicrobial resistance continues to pose major challenges to modern healthcare.
This is the first study to demonstrate the presence of Burkholderia in soil samples from Golestan Province. The present study is a survey conducted in Golestan Province in which 100 soil samples were screened for the presence of these bacteria. Samples were collected from rice-growing areas of the province and cultured on selective Ashdown media. Suspected Burkholderia colonies were identified using biochemical tests and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific primers CVMP23-1-F and CVP23-2-R.
Out of 100 soil samples, Burkholderia was isolated from 57 samples. The presence of this organism indicates that soil can serve as a potential reservoir for disease transmission to humans and animals. This study confirmed the presence of Burkholderia in the soil of Golestan Province and was consistent with findings from other researchers who have isolated Burkholderia cepacia from cystic fibrosis patients.