title: Buruli ulcer control in a highly endemic district in Ghana: role of community-based surveillance volunteers.
abstract: Buruli ulcer (BU) is an infectious skin disease that occurs mainly in West and Central Africa. It can lead to severe disability and stigma because of scarring and contractures. Effective treatment with antibiotics is available, but patients often report to the hospital too late to prevent surgery and the disabling consequences of the disease. In a highly endemic district in Ghana, intensified public health efforts, mainly revolving around training and motivating community-based surveillance volunteers (CBSVs), were implemented. As a result, 70% of cases were reported in the earliest-World Health Organization category I-stage of the disease, potentially minimizing the need for surgery. CBSVs referred more cases in total and more cases in the early stages of the disease than any other source. CBSVs are an important resource in the early detection of BU.
authors.affiliation: Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, Agogo, Ghana; Department of Internal Medicine-Infectious Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Kabiru Mohammed
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Abass
authors.affiliation: Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, Agogo, Ghana; Department of Internal Medicine-Infectious Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Tjip S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: van der Werf
authors.affiliation: Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, Agogo, Ghana; Department of Internal Medicine-Infectious Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Richard O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, Agogo, Ghana; Department of Internal Medicine-Infectious Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Fred S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Sarfo
authors.affiliation: Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, Agogo, Ghana; Department of Internal Medicine-Infectious Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Justice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abotsi
authors.affiliation: Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, Agogo, Ghana; Department of Internal Medicine-Infectious Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Samuel Osei
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Mireku
authors.affiliation: Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, Agogo, Ghana; Department of Internal Medicine-Infectious Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: William N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, Agogo, Ghana; Department of Internal Medicine-Infectious Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Kingsley
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asiedu
authors.affiliation: Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, Agogo, Ghana; Department of Internal Medicine-Infectious Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ymkje
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Stienstra
authors.affiliation: Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, Agogo, Ghana; Department of Internal Medicine-Infectious Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland s.klis@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Sandor-Adrian
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Klis
mesh_terms: D054312:Buruli Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance; D014838:Volunteers