Lack of drug effect: case reportA 54-year-old man exhibited a lack of drug effect during treatment with meropenem for melioidosis. The man presented with fever, chills, right leg wound swelling and leg pain after a cut injury for 10 days. He was also experiencing a loss of appetite and malaise. Initially, it was suspected that he had febrile wound sepsis and started receiving treatment with cefotaxime and flucloxacillin. Also, he underwent incision and drainage of the wound. However, his condition worsened and required hospitalisation. His wound culture showed the presence of Burkholderia pseudomallei. Initially, he received treatment with ceftriaxone. His wound was cleaned and dressed with povidone-iodine. Following 5 days of treatment, his condition worsened. Therefore, he was shifted to the ICU. He developed type-1 respiratory failure and vasodilatory shock. Following ICU admission, he started receiving IV meropenem 1g every 12h for suspected melioidosis, along with teicoplanin, metronidazole and doxycycline. The dose of meropenem 1g every 12h was due to acute kidney injury (AKI). Following this treatment, his CRP decreased, but WBC remained elevated. Thereafter, his ALT, AST and ALP increased. Also, his prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time and INR were increased. His AKI was complicated with hyperkalaemia. Chest X-ray revealed heterogenous opacifications. On day 1 of ICU, Burkholderia pseudomallei was isolated from his blood culture. Thereafter, he was diagnosed with melioidosis with evidence of severe sepsis and multiorgan failure. As it was sensitive to meropenem and cotrimoxazole [trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole], his treatment with meropenem was continued. However, he developed atrial fibrillation, progressively worsening AKI, acute liver failure, melaena and septic shock. He received amiodarone for atrial fibrillation and underwent hemodialysis due to AKI. However, he did not improve. Despite these aggressive measures, his condition worsened. Eventually, he developed refractory septic shock and multiorgan failure. On day 7 of the ICU admission, he died due to melioidosis septicaemia with multiorgan failure.