Melioidosis, caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, is 
a dreadful disease common in South-East Asia and Northern Australia and is 
characterized by chronic suppurative lesions and pneumonia. Melioidosis may 
evolve into severe sepsis with multi-organ failure with high mortalities, 
despite proper antibiotic therapy. Besides activation of a strong 
pro-inflammatory host response, the coagulation system plays an important role 
during melioidosis, which is thought to be host-protective. In particular, a 
procoagulant state together with downregulation of anticoagulant pathways and 
activation of fibrinolysis are present, all closely interrelated with parameters 
of inflammation. This review presents an overview of recent studies in which the 
role of coagulation, anti-coagulation and fibrinolysis during melioidosis was 
investigated both in patients and in experimental settings.