title: Terrestrial small mammals as reservoirs of Mycobacterium ulcerans in benin.
abstract: Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causative agent of Buruli ulcer (BU), is considered an environmental pathogen. Different mycobacteria were detected in 68 (12%) out of 565 small mammals collected in areas in Benin where BU is endemic. Although M. ulcerans was not found, we suggest that more research on M. ulcerans in African (small) mammals is needed.
authors.affiliation: Mycobacteriology Unit, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, B-2000 Antwerp, Belgium. ldurnez@itg.be
authors.forename: Lies
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Durnez
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Suykerbuyk
authors.forename: Violaine
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nicolas
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barrière
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verheyen
authors.forename: Christian R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Herwig
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Leirs
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Portaels
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001541:Benin / Q000453:epidemiology; D054312:Buruli Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000382:microbiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D019911:Mycobacterium ulcerans / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012377:Rodentia / Q000382:microbiology*; D012788:Shrews / Q000382:microbiology*