TY - JOUR KW - Australia KW - Buruli ulcer KW - Melbourne KW - Mycobacterium ulcerans KW - Bacteria KW - endemic KW - Epidemiology KW - Tuberculosis and other mycobacteria AU - Ravindran B AU - Hennessy D AU - O'Hara M AU - Tay E AU - Banuve R AU - McVernon J AU - Carville K AB -

Buruli ulcer (BU) is a rare, neglected tropical disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans that can lead to severe skin ulcers. To determine the epidemiology of BU in Victoria, Australia, during 2017-2022 we analyzed surveillance data. A total of 1,751 cases of BU were notified; 968 (55%) patients were male and 781 (45%) female (2 were missing sex data), and 984 (56%) resided in established BU-endemic areas, although an increasing number were in new BU-endemic areas. Most cases (83%, 1,301) were classified as category I. Multivariate modeling demonstrated that factors for severe BU included being male, being older, and living in a new BU-endemic or non-BU-endemic area. A relatively shorter interval between first visit to a clinician and receipt of diagnosis was protective against severe disease. The expansion of BU-endemic areas throughout Victoria remains a public health concern and calls for targeted action, particularly for patients and clinicians in new BU-endemic areas.

BT - Emerging infectious diseases C1 -

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/40023793

DA - 03/2025 DO - 10.3201/eid3103.240938 IS - 3 J2 - Emerg Infect Dis LA - eng N2 -

Buruli ulcer (BU) is a rare, neglected tropical disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans that can lead to severe skin ulcers. To determine the epidemiology of BU in Victoria, Australia, during 2017-2022 we analyzed surveillance data. A total of 1,751 cases of BU were notified; 968 (55%) patients were male and 781 (45%) female (2 were missing sex data), and 984 (56%) resided in established BU-endemic areas, although an increasing number were in new BU-endemic areas. Most cases (83%, 1,301) were classified as category I. Multivariate modeling demonstrated that factors for severe BU included being male, being older, and living in a new BU-endemic or non-BU-endemic area. A relatively shorter interval between first visit to a clinician and receipt of diagnosis was protective against severe disease. The expansion of BU-endemic areas throughout Victoria remains a public health concern and calls for targeted action, particularly for patients and clinicians in new BU-endemic areas.

PY - 2025 SP - 448 EP - 457 T2 - Emerging infectious diseases TI - Epidemiology of Buruli Ulcer in Victoria, Australia, 2017-2022. UR - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11878321/pdf/24-0938.pdf VL - 31 SN - 1080-6059 ER -