Re-Emerging Tropical Disease: Our Local Experience with Mycobacterial Ulcers in Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

Buruli ulcer and other Mycobacteria infections especially Mycobacterium tuberculosis, involving the skin frequently occur in the tropics and have a lot in common in terms of their mode of presentation and extent of systemic involvements. Since the Yamoussoukro declaration, emphasis has been placed on the increasing prevalence of buruli ulcer; earning it a place among re-emerging diseases. Notwithstanding, other tropical ulcers continue to plague the region which are yet diagnosed or underdiagnosed. In developing countries where the burden of these mycobacterial infections is enormous, the problem of diagnosis and speciating these mycobacterial organisms continues to be a daunting task due to their similar mode of presentation and lack of appropriate labouratory facilities. A high index of suspicion based on detailed history, clinical presentations as well as therapeutic responses to treatment including anti-tuberculosis medication is time-saving and crucial in establishing a possible diagnosis in resource poor settings. This will help combat the burden of these infections and attendant complications and disfigurement associated with these tropical mycobacterial ulcers.