Burkholderia pseudomallei could be used as a bio-weapon. Burkholderia mallei which is closely related has been used as a bio-weapon on US soil. "B. mallei wa

Burkholderia pseudomallei could be used as a bio-weapon. Burkholderia mallei which is closely related has been used as a bio-weapon on US soil. "B. mallei was intentionally used to infect animals and humans during World War I. The Germans used B. mallei to infect animals that were being sent from neutral countries to the Allies with glanders." "In 1914, a member of the German army named Anton Dilger, an American-educated surgeon, was sent home to live with his parents in Virginia after a nervous breakdown. He brought strains of Bacillus anthracis and B mallei and set up a laboratory with his brother’s help to grow the organisms in a private home in Chevy Chase, Maryland." It's interesting that they think this is from South Asia given Burkholderia pseudomallei is in Mexico and maybe the USA and you'd expect it was from dirty fresh produce. I guess genetics don't lie.