BURULI ULCER DISEASE IN CAMEROON REDISCOVERED
Open Access
- 1 May 2004
- journal article
- Published by American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
- Vol. 70 (5) , 520-526
- https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2004.70.520
Abstract
To assess the magnitude of the Buruli ulcer (BU) problem in Cameroon, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in the Nyong River basin and identified on clinical grounds a total of 436 cases of active or inactive BU (202 and 234, respectively). Swab specimens were taken from 162 active cases with ulcerative lesions and in 135 of these (83.3%) the clinical diagnosis was confirmed by the IS2404 polymerase chain reaction. Most lesions (93%) were located on the extremities, with lower limbs being twice as commonly involved as upper limbs. The age of patients with active BU ranged from 2 to 90 years with a median age of 14.5 years. Vaccination with bacilli Calmette-Guérin appeared to protect children against more severe forms of BU with multiple lesions. We conclude that in Cameroon BU is endemic, at least in the study area, and that a comprehensive control program for BU in Cameroon is urgently needed.Keywords
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