Facts about Buruli ulcer 1. Caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium ulcerans. Although the true burden is unknown, it is considered the third most common mycobacterial infection of humans after tuberculosis and leprosy. Buruli ulcer is endemic in at least 25 countries in Africa, Western Pacific, Asia and South America. These countries are Angola, Australia, Benin, Bolivia, Cameroon, China, Congo, C te d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, French Guiana, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Liberia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Togo and Uganda.
Most patients are children and women who live in rural areas near rivers or wetlands.
Starts as painless swelling in the skin and causes severely deforming ulcers. Most commonly afflicts limbs. Treatment with antibiotics has been unsuccessful to date. Current treatment is surgical excision requiring long hospitalizations and very expensive for those most afflicted. HIV infection is not a known risk factor.