According to Victoria’s acting health minister, anyone living or visiting coastal areas should take precautions against being bitten after the state recorded 363 cases of the flesh-eating Buruli ulcer in 2023. Although most of the cases were not severe, the disease has been recognized as one of the state’s important public health issues. The infection, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium ulcerans, usually presents as a developing painless nodule or lump on the arm or leg and ulcerates over a number of weeks.
There is evidence showing that mosquitoes and possums have a role in transmitting the infection. Health authorities state that the mosquito-linked condition can be treated with antibiotics, but early diagnosis is vital. Victoria’s Acting Health Minister, Ingrid Stitt, recommends using an insect repellent with DEET and covering up when outdoors, especially in coastal areas such as Mornington Peninsula, Frankston municipality, south-eastern Bayside suburbs of Melbourne, and Bellarine Peninsula. Non-coastal areas such as Essendon, Brunswick, and Moonee Ponds have also recorded cases of the disease.
The “Beating Buruli in Victoria” initiative was launched to determine when and where Buruli ulcer transmission occurs. For instance, mosquito surveillance conducted on the Mornington Peninsula found that Aedes notoscriptus consistently tested positive in the laboratory for Mycobacterium ulcerans. Some methods used to control mosquitoes included the residual spraying of pyrethroid insecticides, which reduced mosquito numbers, as well as the use of “In2Care” traps, which attract mosquitoes using special green ingredients in a bucket.
Surveillance also found that outbreaks of Buruli ulcer coincided with a high number of possums carrying the bacteria. Symptoms can take anywhere from four weeks to nine months to display after exposure, with a spot that looks like a mosquito or spider bite forming on the skin. Treatment usually involves a six to eight week course of specific oral antibiotics, and surgery is sometimes used in combination with antibiotic therapy if required to promote healing.
Prevention suggestions to reduce the risk of infection include reducing mosquito breeding sites, using personal insect repellents containing DEET, and wearing long, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing. When gardening or spending time outdoors, individuals should wear protective clothing and promptly wash any new scratches or cuts with soap and apply a topical antiseptic and dressing.