Expect the unexpected: pleuro-pulmonary melioidosis in a renal transplant recipient

Melioidosis is an infectious disease endemic in tropical northern Australia and Southeast Asia, and, if treated late or inappropriately, is usually fatal. We report a rare case of pleuro-pulmonary melioidosis with septicemia in a renal transplant recipient to highlight the potential risk of acquiring this infection in at-risk patients living in, or visiting, regions that are endemic for melioidosis, and to convey the importance of its early diagnosis and specific treatment.