title: [Diagnosis of Mycobacterium ulcerans infections in French Guiana].
abstract: THE SITUATION: Buruli's ulcer is a severe necrotic cutaneous infection due to Mycobacterium ulcerans. It is a major public health problem in developing countries. FROM A CLINICAL POINT OF VIEW: The early stage of the infection corresponds to a painless cutaneous nodule, whereas the late stage corresponds to ulceration with detachment of the edges. There is currently no other treatment than surgical excision combined with heat therapy. FROM A DIAGNOSTIC POINT OF VIEW: Three methods can be used: direct examination of swabs stained according to Ziehl-Neelsen's method, culture in specific medium at 32 degrees C and the polymerization chain reaction assay (PCR). The latter is the technique of choice.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'immunologie des leishmanioses, Institut Pasteur, Cayenne, Guyane française. ghislaine.prevot-linguet@guyane.univ-ag.fr
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Prévot
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marsollier
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Carbonelle
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pradinaud
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coupié
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sainte-Marie
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bourreau
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Launois
mesh_terms: D003470:Culture Media; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D005616:French Guiana; D006801:Humans; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019911:Mycobacterium ulcerans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004269:DNA, Bacterial