Linking the Mycobacterium ulcerans environment to Buruli ulcer disease: Progress and challenges.

ABSTRACT: Buruli ulcer (BU), the second most common mycobacterial disease in West Africa, is a necrotizing skin disease that can lead to high morbidity in affected patients. The disease is caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU), whose major virulence factor is mycolactone. Although early infection can be treated with antibiotics, an effective preventative strategy is challenging due to unknown reservoir(s) and unresolved mode(s) of transmission. Further, disease occurrence in remote locations with limited access to health facilities further complicates disease burden and associated costs. We discuss here MU transmission hypotheses and investigations into environmental reservoirs and discuss successes and challenges of studying MU and Buruli ulcer across human, animal, and environ

SUBMITTER: Dhungel L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8403752 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature