Flesh Eating Ulcer Spreads Across Australia

 Flesh Eating Ulcer Spreads Across Australia


Buruli ulcers are on the rise in Victoria which could be spread by possums and mosquitoes


The number of Australians diagnosed with skin infections caused by flesh-eating bacteria has increased as health authorities warn cases have spread beyond previously known hotspots.

Chief Health Officer Clare Looker today warned that Buruli ulcer cases in the state are increasing, with 238 cases identified as of October 2 this year, compared with 207 cases in the same period last year.

Previous years have had even fewer reported cases, with 197 cases in 2021 and 135 cases in 2020.

Looker, in a health alert, warned that infections were spreading across Victoria and were no longer confined to specific areas on the state's coast.

Instead, there has been a recent increase in cases linked to several Geelong suburbs, including Belmont, Highton, Newtown, Wandana Heights, Grovedale and Marshall.

She said there had also been a recent increase in cases linked to Melbourne's north and west, including the suburbs of Essendon, Moonee Ponds, Brunswick West, Pascoe Vale South and Strathmore.

Cases of Buruli ulcer have also been reported in the Mornington Peninsula, Bellarine Peninsula, Phillip Island, Surf Coast and Aireys Inlet, as well as Westernport, Frankston and Langwarrin, the southern suburbs, eastern Bayside and East Gippsland.

Looker said Buruli ulcer was not transmitted from person to person, but there was growing evidence that mosquitoes and possums played a role in infecting people in Victoria.

She said ulcer-causing bacteria have been found in opossum feces.

People with Buruli ulcers often initially present with painless swellings or ulcers, which can be mistaken for insect bites.

The bumps or sores can slowly develop into ulcers that destroy the skin, Dr. Looker says, and it usually takes four to five months for sores to develop after a person is infected.

Public health officials warn that early diagnosis is essential and say people can avoid infection by avoiding mosquito bites, mosquito-proofing their homes and reducing mosquito breeding sites. They should also cover up when outdoors, protect cuts and scrapes, promptly wash and bandage new scrapes or cuts, and wash their skin after exposure to outside dirt or water.

Looker urges doctors to quickly check patients for Buruli ulcers if they are in a hot spot and the ulcer is not healing.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Week Packed with Stargazing Highlights

Image
A Week Packed with Stargazing Highlights Photo by Jeremy Thomas on Unsplash As the curtain of sunlight falls, a vast and enchanting scene unfolds above us. It is the theater of the night sky, a celestial drama that has captivated mankind since time immemorial. This week is a great opportunity for stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts, with celestial highlights such as the crescent moon passing over Venus, the appearance of famous constellations, and an upcoming solar eclipse. Find Your Way Through the Constellations This time of year, when the sky has darkened due to the new moon, is the perfect time to observe constellations and celestial bodies. These include Taurus, Orion, Gemini, and the fascinating Andromeda Galaxy. These constellations act as celestial landmarks and guideposts, helping us find our way in the star-studded night sky. For those  with binoculars or a telescope, the Andromeda Galaxy, our closest spiral galaxy, is a sight to behold. Experience the delicate sliver o...
Read more

All About Hair Loss

Image
 Hair Loss Hair loss is a condition where the hair falls off the head excessively. This condition can be temporary or permanent and hair can fall out little by little or a lot suddenly. The normal amount of hair is about 100,000 strands, and will be loose or fall out about 50-100 strands every day. This is a normal condition, because the hair that falls out will be replaced with new hair. Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash There are 3 phases in hair growth namely the anagen phase is the growth phase, the catagen phase is where the hair stops growing and the phase where the hair starts to fall out is the telogen phase. If these phases are disrupted, the hair will fall out excessively, leading to baldness. Causes of Hair Loss Hair loss can be caused by heredity. An unhealthy diet can also cause the fertility of the hair roots to decrease, resulting in hair loss. In addition, there are several other things that factor into hair loss, namely: Autoimmune diseases, for example in Al...
Read more

Knowing The Difference Between Vegan and Vegetarian

Image
 Knowing The Difference Between Vegan and Vegetarian Vegans and vegetarians are often associated with not eating animal-based foods. But in reality these two things are different. Vegan and vegetarian diets are usually undertaken for health, environmental, or faith reasons. If we want to stop eating animal foods, then it would be good to understand the difference between vegans and vegetarians. Photo by Ella Olsson on Unsplash Definition of Vegetarian Vegetarianism is a diet where one does not consume animal foods, such as beef, poultry, mutton, pork and some seafood, such as fish and shellfish. A vegetarian diet consists of vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes. Vegetarians also eat some types of mushrooms. There are several classifications of vegetarian diets, which are: Lacto-ovo-vegetarian, which is a diet that excludes red meat, poultry meat, and fish, but consumes eggs, milk and dairy products, including cheese and yoghurt Lacto-vegetarian, which is a diet that exclud...
Read more