Cases of flesh-eating bacteria increase in Australia: Here’s what you need to know
People are being urged to stay vigilant amid a flesh-eating bacteria outbreak in several Melbourne suburbs.
Video transcript
- People are being urged to stay vigilant amid a flesh-eating bacteria outbreak in several Melbourne suburbs. Here's what you need to know. Cases of Buruli ulcer have increased significantly in Victoria in recent years with the infection now spreading to six new suburbs in Northern Melbourne.
Victoria Health recently advised the disease has been detected in several parts of the state and is no longer restricted to specific locations. The disease is spread from possums to people by mosquitoes and is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium ulcerans. Once infected, humans cannot pass it on to other humans, and most Buruli ulcers can be treated with oral antibiotics.
People are encouraged to look out for what may start as a lesion like a bite or lump under the skin that gets bigger over days or weeks. The bite can also take between four to five months to develop and most commonly occurs on the ankle, lower leg and arms. Reducing the risk of mosquitoes in and around the home is important to prevent the chance of suffering a Buruli ulcer. Despite increasing cases, Victoria Health said, the overall risk of transmission is considered low.
