Buruli ulcer is a skin disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium ulcerans, which causes the death of skin cells and surrounding tissues, and can also affect bones. This infection is most common in tropical regions, such as Brazil, but is found mainly in Africa and Australia. .
Although the form of transmission of this disease is unknown, the main possibilities are that it is transmitted by drinking contaminated water or by the bite of certain mosquitoes or insects.
- When Buruli ulcer is not treated properly with antibiotics.
- It can continue to develop.
- Causing deformities that cannot be corrected or a widespread infection of the body.
Buruli ulcers usually appear in the arms and legs and the main signs and symptoms of the disease are:
The ulcer begins as a painless nodule that progresses slowly toward the ulcer. In most cases, the sore on the skin is smaller than the area affected by the bacteria, and therefore your doctor may need to remove an area larger than the sore to expose the entire affected area and perform appropriate treatment.
If Buruli ulcer is not treated, it can cause certain complications, such as deformities, secondary bacterial and bone infections, for example.
If I suspect Mycobacterium ulcerans is suspected, it is recommended that you consult a dermatologist to confirm the diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment. Diagnosis is usually done only by looking at symptoms and evaluating a person’s history, especially when living in areas with a high number of cases. .
But your doctor may also order a biopsy to evaluate a piece of affected tissue in the lab to confirm the presence of the bacteria or perform a microbiological culture of ulcer secretion to identify the microorganism and possible secondary infections.
In most cases, the infection is identified when it has little evolution and affects an area less than 5 cm, in these cases treatment is done only with the use of antibiotics, such as rifampicin associated with streptomycin, clarithromycin or moxifloxacin, for 8 weeks.
In cases where the bacteria affects a larger area, your doctor may need surgery to remove all affected tissue and even correct deformities, in addition to dealing with antibiotics In these cases, a nurse may also be needed to properly treat the wound. , thus accelerating healing.