Dealing with the honey trap: a case of hepatic melioidosis

Melioidosis caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei is endemic in South Asia, Southeast Asia, northern Australia and China. The difficulty of diagnosis and the high virulence of the bacterium contribute to the high mortality. Poorly controlled diabetes, chronic kidney disease, chronic alcohol consumption and immunosuppression are important predisposing factors for melioidosis. We report a 36-year-old male patient with isolated hepatic melioidosis with honeycomb abscess who was successfully treated with antibiotics and surgical drainage.