Post # 2 Flesh eating bacteria in Australia

By. Crystal Brewer

       35 cases were recorded September 2, of this year, which is 75% greater than last year’s amount of reported cases of the Buruli Ulcer in Victoria, Australia. The Buruli Ulcer is caused by flesh eating Mycobacterium ulcerans, for which the way of transmission is still unknown, it is believed to be spread mostly by insects (mosquitoes), and open wounds. With Australia’s wet winter health officials fear that the mosquitoes will breed and spread the bacteria to more people. The disease can often be treated if caught in the early stages with antibiotics, but it does involve a 3 to 6 month incubation period, which could mess with the effectiveness of the drugs, in this case skin grafting, or surgery would be the best option for removing the bacteria. Though this outbreak just started to occur in Australia last year, its being said a “neglected but emerging tropical disease” meaning it is reported as the second most frequent Mycobacterial disease after tuberculosis, in regions such as Southeast Asia, South America and West Africa, and is climbing as ways of travel expand, the spread of the disease spreads as well.

                As I was reading, I couldn’t help but think about the stories my grandmother told me about the people getting malaria from the mosquitoes in Liberia, West Africa, which is where she lives most of the year. I wasn’t too shocked to find out that these cases of the disease have been found in Africa, and other countries, but it is strange to hear that a place like Australia has something bad happening the people, mainly because I hardly hear about issues that they have in their country. You can see that this problem isn’t only of those countries; because mosquitoes travel, the disease can travel to any part of the world, and because people travel, and the official mode of transmission hasn’t been determined yet, people might be the carriers too. I think all the scientist of the world should work together for a moment, and try to figure out how we can all be free of flesh eating diseases, not only in the well-known areas of the world but also in the third world countries, no one deserves to suffer.

http://healthmap.org/news/flesh-eating-bacteria-rise-australia