Terrestrial small mammals as reservoirs of Mycobacterium ulcerans in benin.
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.
Durnez
Lies
L
Mycobacteriology Unit, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, B-2000 Antwerp, Belgium. ldurnez@itg.be
Suykerbuyk
Patrick
P
Nicolas
Violaine
V
Barrière
Patrick
P
Verheyen
Erik
E
Johnson
Christian R
CR
Leirs
Herwig
H
Portaels
Françoise
F
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*