Epidemiology, clinical features and diagnosis of Mycobacterium ulcerans in an Australian population

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiology, clinical features and diagnosis of Mycobacterium ulcerans infection occurring on the Bellarine Peninsula in Victoria. DESIGN, SETTING AND PATIENTS: Analysis of prospectively collected data on all patients with confirmed M. ulcerans infection reported from the Bellarine Peninsula and managed at Barwon Health between 1 January 1998 and 2 September 2011. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of cases by age group and sex; duration of symptoms; number, type and site of lesions; proportions diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and mycobacterial cultures. RESULTS: We identified 180 sequential cases of M. ulcerans infection: 42 cases in 1998-2004..