Victoria has recorded its highest annual number of Buruli ulcer cases – 363 cases in 2023 – with almost half of these recorded in the SEPHU catchment.
Buruli ulcer causes an infection of the skin and soft tissue that can develop into destructive skin ulcers. There is increasing evidence that mosquitos may be able to transmit the disease.
Director of the South East Public Health Unit, Professor Rhonda Stuart, said although Buruli ulcer was not fatal, the infection could leave people with significant skin deformity and sometimes damage to limbs.
Professor Stuart said it could take several months for symptoms of Buruli ulcer to appear, meaning people bitten and infected in summer may not notice a lump on their skin until winter.
The first sign of Buruli ulcer is usually a painless, non-tender lump, commonly on the arm or leg. It is often mistaken for an insect or spider bite and is sometimes itchy. Most cases in the SEPHU catchment are on the Mornington Peninsula.
It can take several weeks before the lump develops into an ulcer on the skin, which is when people often go to their doctor.
“The condition is curable and treated with antibiotics,” Professor Stuart said. “But it is important that infections are diagnosed and treated early, otherwise infection can spread and take longer to treat and longer to heal.”
If left untreated, it can lead to severe skin and limb damage, so early treatment is vital. “Everyone is susceptible to infection. Disease can occur at any age and does not spread from person to person.”
Since 2012 there has been a significant increase in the number of cases on the Mornington Peninsula and in Melbourne’s bayside suburbs.
Professor Stuart said people could protect themselves by taking simple precautions. “Your best protection against mosquitoes and the diseases they can carry is to avoid mosquito bites.”
“You can avoid mosquito bites by using personal insect repellents containing diethyltoluamide (DEET) or picaridin, covering up by wearing long, loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing, and by avoiding mosquito-prone areas, especially at dusk and dawn. You can also mosquito-proof your home by securing insect screens.”
“We also urge residents and visitors to reduce mosquito breeding sites around homes and camp sites by reducing areas where water can pool (including pot plant containers, buckets, open tins or cans, discarded tyres, and other untreated, freshwater pools).”