Glanders: An ancient, fatal, and re-emerging disease that still threatens humans and animals.

Health · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei, glanders is a highly contagious zoonotic disease that primarily strikes horses, donkeys, and mules. While eradicated in many nations, it remains endemic in parts of Asia, Africa, and South America, posing a persistent threat to animal health and a potential risk for human infection.

Glanders has plagued civilization since antiquity, with early descriptions appearing in the writings of Hippocrates and Pliny the Elder. Aristotle categorized it as a zoonotic disease, naming it 'melis' or 'mallus' to reflect its malignant nature. For centuries, it decimated cavalry horses and hindered military logistics, leading to its historical use as a potential biothreat agent. During World War I, it was allegedly spread by German agents to disrupt Russian supply lines, and during World War II, it was studied for use in biological warfare at facilities like the Japanese Unit 731.

The disease is caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia mallei, which relies on mammalian hosts for survival. In equines, it manifests as acute or chronic infections, characterized by respiratory distress, skin ulcers, and nodular lesions in the lungs. Humans are accidental hosts, typically infected through occupational contact with diseased animals or laboratory accidents. Because there is no licensed vaccine and the pathogen is highly infectious via aerosols, it remains a significant concern for global health security.

Eradication efforts in the 20th century successfully eliminated the disease from countries like the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom through strict quarantine and the slaughter of infected animals. However, the disease is re-emerging in endemic regions, including Iraq, Pakistan, India, and parts of Brazil. Modern diagnostic tools, such as the recently developed lateral flow assays, are now being explored to provide rapid, equipment-free detection in low-resource settings, offering a critical new layer of defense against this ancient, persistent pathogen.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• The devastating cattle plague that once wiped out entire herds
• Most human infectious diseases originate in animals, but we are the ones driving the spillover.
• When humans become the patient zero for animals: understanding reverse zoonosis
• Cattle plague pushed France to invent veterinary school
• Brucellosis: The ancient, persistent zoonotic disease hiding in your glass of raw milk
• Can the government ban a plant grown only in your backyard?
• The microscopic parasite that turns your drinking water into a digestive nightmare
• Why the common head louse is a master of survival, not a disease vector.
• Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that emerges during pregnancy and usually resolves postpartum.
• With over 150 types of headaches, why does your head actually hurt?
• Italy is not a people, but a geographical expression
• Heartburn is not a heart condition, but a failure of your internal plumbing

More in Morbidity · More in Health · Latest · A–Z · All topics