Recent warm and wet weather means the likelihood of more mosquitoes and more mosquito bites, with holidaymakers and residents in Melbourne’s south-east facing the risk of contracting Buruli ulcer.
“Your only protection against mosquitoes and the diseases they can carry is to avoid mosquito bites,” said the Director of the South East Public Health Unit, Professor Rhonda Stuart.
“In Victoria, almost half the cases of Buruli ulcer occur in Melbourne’s south-east, while people visiting regional Victoria can encounter mosquitoes that transmit Ross River virus, Barmah Forest virus and Murray Valley encephalitis.”
Professor Stuart said people could avoid mosquito bites by using personal insect repellents, covering up by wearing long, loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing, and by avoiding mosquito-prone areas, especially at dusk and dawn.
“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).”
Buruli ulcer causes an infection of the skin and soft tissue, which can develop into destructive skin ulcers. There is strong evidence that mosquitos play a role in the transmission of the disease. More than half the cases in Melbourne’s south-east are on the Mornington Peninsula.
Professor Stuart said although Buruli ulcer was not fatal, the infection could leave people with significant skin deformity and sometimes damage to limbs.
“It can 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,” Professor Stuart said.
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. 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.”