Buruli ulcer It is not a particularly common disease in Spain. Yes, they know her well 33 countries with tropical, subtropical and temperate climates, especially in Africa, South America and the western Pacific, although cases also occur in Australia and Japan. However, the bacteria that causes the disease first made headlines in Spain after a biologist contracted it while working in the jungles of Peru.
The woman named Patricia Casastold his story in A country. Determines the action of this bacterium as shark bite. Although the truth is that his infection is not as serious as that caused by other bacteria traditionally known as meat eaters.
Buruli ulcer is treated antibiotic combinations. However, if it is not treated promptly or is co-infected with other pathogens, it can cause significant malformations, disfigure the face or even affect the bones.
History of Buruli ulcer
This disease was first described in 1897, although the doctor who did it, Sir Albert Cook, I did not know about the existence of Buruli ulcer. He was treating patients in Uganda at the time and described in his medical journals several cases of ulcers whose appearance is now known to be consistent with this condition.
Later, in 1948, an Australian scientist called Peter McCallum He and his team described the disease more succinctly. In addition, the bacteria that cause it were isolated for the first time: Mycobacterium ulcers.
The cases identified by this scientist occurred in a region known as Bairnsdale, near Melbourne. For this reason, in some parts of Australia the disease is still known as Bairnsdale’s ulcer. However, in the 1960s, a large number of new cases were identified in Buruli County, in Ugandaso that this name was finally given to this condition.
What are your symptoms?
The bacteria that cause Buruli ulcer belong to the same family as the bacteria that cause Buruli ulcer. leprosy and tuberculosis, but it has its own symptoms. It is initially characterized by the appearance of a painless lump or plaque that gradually grows until it forms an ulcer.
This is where it is very important that doctors are well trained to differentiate these ulcers from ulcers caused by other diseases. For example, from World Health Organization warn that it may be confused with ulcers caused by diabetes, leishmaniasis, arterial or venous insufficiency, or bacterial infection. Haemophilus ducreii.
Doctors in affected countries are very well trained to recognize Buruli ulcer. And this is very important; Well, if you don’t diagnose it in time, can get to the bone and cause developmental defects.
This may happen more or less quickly depending on the severity of the case. In fact, Buruli ulcer is classified into three different categories. The first includes cases in which there is only a small formation, less than 5 centimeters in diameter. On the other hand, the second category includes cases where there is a non-ulcerative or already ulcerative plaque and swelling ranging in size from 5 to 15 centimeters. Finally, the third category, the most serious, includes injuries with a diameter of more than 15 centimeters. There may already be joint participation here.
Secrets of Buruli Ulcer
The biggest mystery of Buruli ulcer is that it is unknown how it is transmitted. The only certainty is that the bacteria, once in subcutaneous tissuerelease toxin which is responsible for ulceration. But how do bacteria reach said tissue?
There is still no clear answer to this question, although many scientists already suspect that insects as a pathogen carrier.
For example, a few weeks ago a group of Australian scientists published in a study the results of research conducted on the Mornington Peninsula, in Melbourne. This is one of the places in the world with the highest incidence of ulcers in Burundi. Suspecting that the disease was transmitted by mosquitoes, they caught 65,000 of these insects. They all underwent genomic tests looking for genetic material from the bacteria. So it was. In particular, they discovered the presence M. ulcerative V mosquitoes of this species Aedes notoscriptus.
They already had a carrier, but no reservoir. That is, mosquitoes transmit bacteria to humans. But where do they get it from? This question is answered by the second part of the study, in which they confirmed that the bacteria found in the mosquito matched the bacteria found in the mosquito. possum feces. In addition, they also matched samples collected from people, so the chain seemed pretty clear.
On the other hand, there is a suspicion that some aquatic insects from the order Hemiptera can transmit the disease.
Until there is complete clarity, prevention is difficult, which is why WHO is paying great attention early detection. But knowing the origins is vital to both preventing and controlling what might happen. Because diseases caused by insects may begin to spread to other regions of the world due to climate change. It is important that we are ready.
Source: Hiper Textual
