title: Genotyping Tools forMycobacterium ulcerans-Drawbacks and Future Prospects.
abstract: Mycobacterium ulceransinfection (Buruli ulcer) is a neglected but treatable skin disease endemic in over 30 countries.M. ulceransis an environmental mycobacteria with an elusive mode of transmission to humans. Ecological and Molecular epidemiological studies to identify reservoirs and transmission vectors are important for source tracking infections especially during outbreaks and elucidating transmission routes. Research efforts have therefore focused on genotyping strains of the mycobacteria from clinical and environmental samples. This review discusses genotyping tools for differentiatingM. ulceransstrains from other environmental and Mycolactone Producing Mycobacteria (MPMs). We highlight tools that have been adapted from related fields and propose ways these could be enhanced to resolve intra-species variation for epidemiological, transmission, evolutionary studies, and detection of emerging drug resistant strains. In the wake of increasing cases of Buruli ulcer, cumulative efforts including improvement in diagnostic methods and fine-tuning of genotyping tools are crucial to complement public health efforts in reducing infections.
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Ghana ; Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Ivory Coast ; Clinical Microbiology Department, School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Narh
authors.affiliation: Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Ivory Coast ; Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Department, University of Ghana.
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mosi
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Ghana ; Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Ivory Coast.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Quaye
authors.affiliation: Clinical Microbiology Department, School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.
authors.forename: Samuel Ck
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Tay
authors.affiliation: Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Ivory Coast.
authors.forename: Bassirou
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bonfoh
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Ghana.
authors.forename: Dziedzom K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: de Souza