title: Buruli ulcer and mycolactone-producing mycobacteria.
abstract: Buruli ulcer (BU) is an emerging human disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, which mainly affects the extremities. It is most endemic in sub-Saharan Africa; however, it has been reported worldwide, including in some non-tropical areas. "M. ulcerans subsp. shinshuense" is proposed as a subspecies of M. ulcerans, which have been reported from Japan and China. A total of 35 BU cases have been reported as of November 2012. Although M. ulcerans is categorized as nontuberculous mycobacteria, it has some unique characteristics that could only be observed in this bacterium. It possesses a giant virulent plasmid, composed of 174-kbp nucleotides, coding polyketide synthase to produce macrolide toxin called mycolactone. The discovery of such a linkage of plasmid and its pathogenesis has not been reported in other human disease-causing mycobacteria.
authors.affiliation: Leprosy Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 189-0002, Japan. nakanaga＠nih.go.jp
authors.forename: Kazue
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakanaga
authors.forename: Rie Roselyne
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Yotsu
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makino
authors.forename: Norihisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ishii
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D054312:Buruli Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D018942:Macrolides / Q000378:metabolism*; D019911:Mycobacterium ulcerans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010957:Plasmids; D048630:Polyketide Synthases / Q000235:genetics; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018942:Macrolides; D037521:Virulence Factors; C117218:mycolactone; D048630:Polyketide Synthases