  We report on the observation of hot water vapor (steam) in the inner AU of a
young massive star located in the star-forming region IRAS 08576-4334. The
water lines are detected in a medium resolution (R=10,000) K-band spectrum
taken by the infrared spectrometer ISAAC mounted on the VLT-ANTU. The water
vapor is at a mean temperature of 1565+/-510 K, cooler than the hot CO found in
the same object, which is at 1660K and the column density is N(H2O)=(2.5 +/-
0.4)x1E18 cm-2. The profile of both H2O and CO lines is best reproduced by the
emission from a Keplerian disk. To interpret the data, we also investigate the
formation of molecules and especially CO and water vapor in the inner hot and
dense part of disks around young high mass stars using a pseudo time-dependent
gas-phase chemical model. Molecules are rapidly photodissociated but this
destruction is compensated by an efficient formation due to fast
neutral-neutral reactions. The ability of CO molecules to self-shield
significantly enhances its abundance. Water molecules are sufficiently abundant
to be detectable. The observed H2O/CO ratio is reproduced by gas at 1600K and
an enhanced UV field over gas density ratio I_UV/nH=1E(-4)- 1E(-6). The
simulations support the presence of CO and H2O molecules in the inner disks
around young massive stars despite the strong UV radiation and show that the OH
radical plays an essential role in hot gas chemistry.
