Latest news with #BuruliUlcer
The Guardian
22-06-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Why Dr Paris uses her bare arms in the fight against Australia's mosquito-borne diseases
Dr Véronique Paris has a very hands-on approach to her research. She slides her bare arm inside a special cage and lets hundreds of mosquitoes bite her – all in the name of science. 'For most of the ones I feed, I just feel a little sensation,' the University of Melbourne medical entomologist says. 'Some species do have a bit more of a mechanical feel to them.' Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email She describes the buzzing cage of mosquitoes as her 'colony', and 'to make sure they stay healthy' Paris feeds them her blood about once a week. 'If I am running an experiment or want to collect more eggs for upcoming work, this can increase to about four times a week.' Her research is focused on reducing the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases to humans, such as the flesh-eating Buruli ulcer – that if untreated can cause disfiguration and tissue loss. Paris enjoys sharing her work – and methods – with her community of 13,000 followers on Instagram. The 35-year-old says she moved to Instagram and away from professional social media platforms such as LinkedIn, or even Bluesky, to 'reach people that are not necessarily already looking for scientific content'. '[It] has been very rewarding and there are lots of people that ask lots of questions,' she says. Paris's interest in mosquito research began when she started her PhD at the University of Melbourne, after moving to Australia from Germany. 'I wanted to do something for the local community and understand local mosquitoes [and] locally transmitted diseases like Ross River virus and Buruli ulcer.' Cases of Buruli ulcer have risen sharply in recent years, from 135 in 2020 to 238 in late 2023, according to the Victorian Department of Health. The disease, which is spreading across Victoria, is also found in far north Queensland and the Northern Territory. While possums have long been suspected to play a role in the spread of Buruli ulcer, a 2024 study provided the first strong evidence linking mosquitoes to its transmission. Paris and other researchers are trying to find out how exactly mosquitoes acquire and transmit the pathogen to humans. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion Paris said she was shocked when she first saw her scientific colleagues feeding the insects their blood. 'I was planning big experiments and wanting to have my own mosquito colony, so I felt like I wanted to try it at least once to see if that is something that I can do.' Now it's a part of her weekly lab routine. 'My body has certainly adapted to it … I can feed a cage of mosquitoes and then it's itchy right after, and then I need to be good about not scratching, so I distract myself for about an hour.' Researchers feeding their own colonies is not compulsory, Paris says. 'There will always be volunteers around that can do that, so no one has to feed mosquitoes if they don't want to and that's totally fine.' But outside the lab, getting involuntarily bitten by mosquitoes is a completely different story. Paris says if a mosquito bites her on the ankle while she's in the garden, it might itch for days. Each bite is different, depending on the location on her body and the species of mosquito doing the biting, she says. There are about 300 species of mosquitoes in Australia, how much they itch depends on the person they bite, she explains, adding that the bump and itch is caused by someone's immune response to the bite, so it very person specific. Her top tip? Don't scratch the bite as it only makes the itching worse.
Zawya
24-02-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Uniting for Action: World Health Organization (WHO) Leads the Fight Against Buruli Ulcer in Nigeria
A few months ago, life took a sudden twist for 57-year-old Angela Dukpe (name changed), residing in a village in Gwer West Local Government Area, Benue state, when a painless nodule on her left leg developed into a big smelly sore, disfiguring her left leg. "I initially dismissed the lump, which became a big wound with pus coming out of it. The wound affected my self-esteem and social life, making it difficult to care for my family,"- she explained. Angela received help after a traditional healer she sought healing from notified a health worker (a Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer (DSNO)), Mr Ikyoto Sylvanus, about her case. "The wound on Angela's leg had similar characteristics to Buruli Ulcer", explained Mr Ikyoto, who collected a swab sample from the wound for a laboratory test. Angela was administered antibiotics treatment for her ailment. Understanding Buruli Ulcer The World Health Organization has designated Buruli Ulcer as one of the 17 Neglected Tropical Diseases affecting more than 120 million people in 72 countries, including Nigeria. The infectious disease predominantly affects the skin, deeper soft tissues, and, in some cases, the bones, and if left untreated, can lead to severe disabilities and permanent disfigurement. In 2024, Nigeria reported 698 suspected cases of Buruli ulcers. The disease often begins as a painless swelling or nodule, mainly on the leg, arms, or face, and, if untreated, can progress to large ulcers. Buruli Ulcer thrives in rural, swampy areas and disproportionately affects children under 15. The disease may progress with no pain or fever. Early detection and treatment are critical in mitigating the devastating effects of the disease, and these consist of a combination of antibiotics and complementary therapies in the early stages. Still, many affected individuals are unaware of these options. WHO's Lifeline of Support In Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Health, in collaboration with WHO and other international and local partners, has been at the forefront of combating Buruli ulcer and other NTDs by guiding its diagnosis and treatment. Through technical, financial, and logistical support, WHO is helping to strengthen disease surveillance, improve access to diagnosis and treatment, raise awareness about all NTDs and strengthen health systems. For instance, in Benue state, where Angela resides, the WHO provides technical support to the state to facilitate surveillance and search for active cases while facilitating specimen collection for laboratory testing. "WHO has supported the sensitisation campaigns to sensitise the communities on improved healthcare-seeking behaviour for early treatment of cases of Buruli Ulcer before the onset of complications. The campaign yielded positive results as the traditional healer who notified of Angela's case became aware of the symptoms and was knowledgeable to inform the health worker through sensitisation activities", explained Mr Ikyoto. Mr Ikyoto, however, believes more global and local effort is required to eradicate the disease. "We need the support of funding and drugs to follow up on case management-related cases. Currently, most of the identified cases are not receiving any treatment from the health system", added Mr Ikyoto. World NNTD day With Nigeria recently joining the World to commemorate 2025 World NTDs Day, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, said over 200 million Nigerians are at risk of contracting at least one Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), with 165 million in need of preventive chemotherapy. Dr Salako noted that the 10-year NTDs road map 2021−2030 rolled out by WHO, set ambitious targets and provided a blueprint for global elimination. "We shall focus attention on millions of people with little or no access to prevention, treatment, and care services to counter the social determinants of health.' He added. In a call for action, WHO Country Representative Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo called on everybody, including leaders and communities, to unite, act, and eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) by making bold, sustainable investments to free the estimated 1.5 billion people in the world's most vulnerable communities from a vicious cycle of disease and poverty. Dr Mulombo said, "Buruli Ulcer is one of the NTDs that causes more morbidity and suffering than mortality. It reduces the daily adjusted life years for affected persons and impacts national productivity. Communities, governments, and Civil Society Organisations (CSO) should pay more attention to this silent and neglected disease." Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) - Nigeria.
