Figure 4.

Seasonal distribution of melioidosis cases and tropical cyclones in WA from 1998 to 2009. TC = tropical cyclone; TC seaward = tropical cyclone approaching northern WA from a seaward direction; TC landward = tropical cyclone approaching northern WA over land from Northern Territory. Culture-positive cases peak during the summer months of December to April when the rains come. This is also the tropical cyclone season. Cyclones approaching WA from a landward direction are in the minority. The dry season cases of culture-positive infection are possibly the result of delayed onset infection or other means of environmental exposure.