Cavitary lung disease in hospitalized patients: Differences between melioidosis and tuberculosis.

To differentiate cavitary lung lesions caused by melioidosis and tuberculosis is challenging, especially in endemic countries. A study with a matched-sampling method (16 cavitary pulmonary melioidosis 16 cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis) showed characteristics of bacterial infection more obvious and severe in the melioidosis patients, which were useful to distinguish two conditions.