Mycobacterium ulcerans infection (Buruli ulcer) in Ga district of Greater Accra region

ABSTRACT

A study of 22 subjects affected by Mycobacterium ulcerans (Buruli ulcer) in the Ga District of Greater Accra Region of Ghana; bordering the rivers Densu and Nsaki; is presented. Of these subjects 68.2 per cent were less than 15 years of age with a male to femal ratio of 1.81 and 63.6 per cent were either pre-school or school children. 72.7 per cent of the subjects were first affected before the age of 10 years. The distribution of the skin lesions involved the exposed skin areas in 86.4 per cent of cases and contact cases were identified in 50 per cent of the subjects. A complication of squamous cell carcinoma was observed in one subject. The possible modes of transmission are discussed