R (2005) Buruli ulcer

study of patients in Ghana who had Buruli ulcer, caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, and found that 23 % were co-infected with Mansonella perstans nematodes; 13 % of con-trols also had M. perstans infection. M. perstans co-infec-tion should be considered in the diagnosis and treatment of Buruli ulcer. Buruli ulcer, caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, is a neglected tropical disease common in rural parts of West Africa. Infection with M. ulcerans causes disfigur-ing skin ulcers, mainly in children. The disease is highly focal, and in Ghana, cases are reported mainly from the humid and tropical southern regions, including Ashanti and Greater Accra (1). Recent studies suggest that aquatic in-vertebrates serve as a reservoir for M. ulcerans, although complete transmission pathways remain unknown (2,3). Aquatic insects infected with M. ulcerans can establis