Buruli Ulcer
Buruli Ulcer is the most neglected but treatable of tropical diseases.
- Buruli ulcer is endemic in at least 31 countries in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world.
- In addition to lesions and scarring, infection can lead to long-term disability.
- Statistics on the prevalence of the disease are limited because of low reporting in poor, rural areas.
IDRI's Efforts
IDRI scientists are interested in leveraging expertise in mycobacterial diseases (diseases from the same family of bacteria that cause tuberculosis and leprosy) to assist members of the Global Buruli Ulcer Initiative (GBUI) and BU research community. While the underlying pathogenesis of different mycobacterial diseases varies, we anticipate that as we have applied diagnostic and vaccine development for tuberculosis to work being done on leprosy, we can also apply the same knowledge to diagnose and treat patients with BU.
About Buruli Ulcer
BU is a disease of the skin that results from infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans. This often disfiguring condition has been reported in more than 30 countries, predominately in Western Africa, but also in Australasia and the Americas. BU represents the third most common mycobacterial disease that occurs in immunocompetent individuals worldwide, following tuberculosis (caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and leprosy (caused by Mycobacterium leprae). Unlike tuberculosis and leprosy, transmission of BU is not understood.
BU is typically a disease of the poor, occurring mostly in rural areas. While all age groups can be affected, the greatest number of cases worldwide occurs in children younger than 15 years of age. Importantly, BU occurs in areas where individuals have limited access to health care, often resulting in a tremendous public health burden.
BU typically starts as a painless nodule, rarely prompting medical attention. As the lesion grows, a painless ulcer typically develops which can be invasive and lead to considerable tissue damage. Lesions occur throughout the body, resulting in cosmetic disfiguration and functional impairment. Because of the destructive nature of the infection, aggressive surgery, including amputation, remains the mainstay of treatment.
What More is Needed to Stop Buruli Ulcer?
In 1998, the WHO launched the Global Buruli Ulcer Initiative (GBUI). As outlined in a recent treatise on this disease, the goals of the GBUI are multiple, including an increase in the awareness of BU, public health initiatives, and an effort to develop focused research activities of diagnostics and therapeutics for BU.