I woke up feeling incredibly optimistic this morning. The sun was shining, the air was noticeably less humid and it’s a Friday. What’s not to love? Well, let me tell ya, folks. The flesh-eating Buruli ulcer is back with a vengeance this year and nothing ruins your hard-on for the day like a flesh-eating ulcer.
If the Buruli ulcer — AKA the Bairnsdale ulcer —rings a bell, it’s because it popped up in record numbers in 2023. According to The Guardian, there were 363 cases of Buruli ulcers in Victoria last year, and the cases have been increasing since 2017.
While most of these cases were not severe, the ulcer can be pretty painful, causing lumps, swelling and skin damage.
The ulcers are caused by the Mycobacterium ulcerans bacteria that scientists believe to stem from possums and be transmitted via mosquitos. So, if you needed another reason to hate those blood-sucking little fucks, this is it.
Due to the particularly wet and muggy summer this year, the mosquito population is thriving, causing experts to suspect that another Buruli ulcer case spike could be upon us.
“Warmer weather provides mosquitoes with an ideal breeding environment,” Ingrid Stitt, the acting Victorian health minister said, per The Guardian.
“Victorians should use an insect repellent with Deet, cover up when outdoors and practice good hygiene by washing new scratches and cuts.”
It is also recommended to mosquito-proof your home and avoid areas with lots of mosquitos.
The symptoms of a Buruli ulcer usually begin pretty innocuously as tiny, painless lumps that look like mozzie bites. But under the surface, the infection slowly works its way into the fat below the skin where it starts to spread. Eventually, after around four to five months, it’ll make its way above the skin again as a fully-fledged ulcer.
While that sounds pretty gnarly, the good news is, that it’s easily treated with oral antibiotics. However, the earlier the diagnosis the better as the ulcers can grow without intervention and cause scarring in the muscles and tendons.
A few years ago, the Buruli ulcer had only been reported in coastal areas of Melbourne and regional Victoria like the Mornington Peninsula. But in 2021, it was detected in Brunswick West, Essendon and Moonee Ponds. In 2022, it was reportedly found in Pasco Vale South and Strathmore. Along with Victoria, it is also known to occur in north Queensland and the Northern Territory.
I know, I know, I haven’t included any pics of the ulcer here but if you want to see a particularly gnarly infection, you can check one out here.
Okay, well, with that information under your belt, I hope you have a great day. I’m going to go put on some Aaerogard.
