Buruli ulcer, Central African Republic.

Fanny Minime-Lingoupou (1) , Narcisse Beyam (1) , Germain Zandanga (1) , Alexandre Manirakiza (1) , Alain N'Domackrah (1) , Simeon Njuimo (1) , Sara Eyangoh (2) , Jane Cottin (3) , Laurent Marsollier (4) , Estelle Marion (3) , Francoise Portaels (5) , Alain Le Faou (1) , Raymond Bercion (1)

1 Institut Pasteur de Bangui
2 Centre Pasteur du Cameroun
3 CHU Angers - Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d'Angers
4 UA - Université d'Angers
5 ITM - Institute of Tropical Medicine [Antwerp]

Buruli ulcer, the third most common mycobacterial disease of humans after tuberculosis and leprosy, is an important disfigur- ing and disabling cutaneous infection disease caused by Mycobacterium ul- cerans. Buruli ulcer was declared an emerging skin disease of public health concern by the World Health Orga- nization (WHO) in 1998. Although the disease is known to be associated with swampy areas and environmental changes, the mode of transmission is not yet clearly understood. A possible role for water bugs in the transmission has been postulated in the last 10 years. In this direction, several researchers have proposed that biting water bugs could be vectors for M. ulcerans (1). M. ulcerans produces a potent toxin known as mycolactone (2), which ly- ses dermal cells, leading to the devel- opment of continuously expanding ul- cers with undermined edges. Surgery is the only treatment for late lesions, which involves excision of necrotic tissues, followed by skin grafting. Af- ter such treatment, patients suffer from functional limitations, social stigmati- zation, and the loss of livelihood (3)...

Domains: Other [q-bio.OT]

Fanny Minime-Lingoupou, Narcisse Beyam, Germain Zandanga, Alexandre Manirakiza, Alain N'Domackrah, et al.. Buruli ulcer, Central African Republic.. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2010, 16 (4), pp.746-748. ⟨10.3201/eid1604.090195⟩. ⟨pasteur-00540470⟩