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. Eugene Athan 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..