Potential role for fish in transmission of Mycobacterium ulcerans disease (Buruli ulcer): an environmental study.
This study reports a potential role that fish may play in the transmission of Mycobacterium ulcerans disease (Buruli ulcer). Fish found positive for M. ulcerans DNA all appear to feed on insects or plankton and are believed to concentrate M. ulcerans from this usual food source. These observations provide additional data supporting our previous hypothesis on sources of M. ulcerans and modes of transmission.
Eddyani
Miriam
M
Mycobacteriology Unit, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, B-2000 Antwerp, Belgium. meddyani@itg.be
Ofori-Adjei
David
D
Teugels
Guy
G
De Weirdt
David
D
Boakye
Daniel
D
Meyers
Wayne M
WM
Portaels
Françoise
F
D000818:Animals; D004777:Environment; D005399:Fishes / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000635:transmission*; D019911:Mycobacterium ulcerans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction