title: Buruli ulcer disease in Cameroon rediscovered.
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.
authors.affiliation: Aide aux Lépreux Emmaüs-Suisse, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Noeske
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kuaban
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rondini
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sorlin
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ciaffi
authors.forename: Josephine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mbuagbaw
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Portaels
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pluschke
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D019911:Mycobacterium ulcerans; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine