[The contribution of skin autograft in open air in the treatment of the Buruli ulcer]. / Apport de l'autogreffe cutanée à l'air libre dans le traitement de l'ulcère de Buruli.

The Buruli ulcer (BU) rages in a lot of tropical and subtropical countries. In Democratic Republic of Congo, some BU cases were reported between the 50s and 70s. This disease offers resistance to the usual chemotherapy. The only alternative for the treatment remains the surgical one (trimming, wound dressing, graft). The overarching aim of this study, conducted in the province of Lower Congo, is to put forward a surgical therapeutic approach adapted to the precarious conditions met on the ground in our rural areas. The evidence of a Mycobacterium ulcerans infection has been bacteriological and histopathological. The slight skin autograft or "of Davis", in open air or with dressing was performed in 37 patients. After three months this skin autograft in open air has experienced 78.5% of complete healing against 70% for the skin autograft with dressing. The exposure of skin graftings to open air favors an hyperoxygenation which also fights against the Mycobacterium ulcerans, for this latter develops better in an hypoxical area.

[Knowledge-attitudes-practices survey of the Songololo population (D.R. Congo) about Buruli ulcers]. / Enquête connaissances-attitudes-pratiques (CAP) de la population de Songololo (R.D. Congo) sur l'ulcère de Buruli.

The Buruli ulcer (B. U.) is rampant in many tropical and subtropical countries. In D.R. of Congo, some cases of Buruli ulcer have been reported between 1950 and 1970 in the endemic focus of Songololo-Kimpese (Lower-Congo Province). The objective of this study was to provide some anthropological knowledge for better treatment of this pathology; to confirm the presence of Buruli ulcer in that focus and to describe general caracteristics of the subjects. This disease looked upon as "mbasu" (in the Ndibu population in majority in that focus) is experienced as a malediction, or punishment. The success of a program to fight against Buruli ulcer lies on health education which takes into account the representation systems of diseases.