News / Health
Mozzie-borne skin ulcer warning for Brunswick West
Dozens of cases recorded in Merri-bek and Moonee Valley
Mark Phillips
PUBLIC health agencies are warning people to take precautions in Brunswick West and Coburg following the detection of a mosquito-borne flesh-eating ulcer in the area.
Almost one-in-five cases of Buruli ulcer across Victoria this year have been reported in Melbourne’s inner north-west, and as peak mosquito season approaches, authorities are concerned those rates could quickly increase.
Buruli ulcer is a skin infection caused by bacteria which develops from a bite from an infected mosquito, and is common to tropical and sub-tropical areas.
The toxins made by the bacteria called Mycobacterium ulcerans destroy skin cells, small blood vessels and the fat under the skin, which causes the disfiguring ulcer.
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While Buruli ulcer can be cured with specific antibiotics, Western Public Health Unit Director Dr Finn Romanes is warning local residents to look out for the early signs and to take action to prevent infection.
The unit has issued the warning following recently recorded cases in Brunswick West, Coburg, Essendon, Moonee Ponds, Pascoe Vale South and Strathmore.
So far this year, there have been 42 notified cases in the adjacent municipalities of Merri-bek and Moonee Valley, which are divided by the Moonee Ponds Creek, a known mosquito breeding area.
There have already been 259 cases of Buruli ulcer recorded in Victoria this year, following a record 362 cases in 2023. Case numbers have been rising steadily from 135 in 2020.
Dr Romanes said people should not hesitate to get tested if they begin showing any of the symptoms of Buruli ulcer. But detection is made more difficult because symptoms do not to develop until long after the end of the peak mosquito season.
“Local research has confirmed that Buruli ulcer is transmitted from possums to people via mosquitoes. This is the time of year when cases of Buruli ulcer are usually diagnosed because most people are exposed during the main mosquito season from early November to late April,” Dr Romanes said.
“After being bitten by an infected mosquito, the ulcer usually takes four to five months to appear, so many people develop the ulcer in winter or spring, after the mosquito season is over.”
Buruli ulcer may start as painless swelling or as a lump under the skin that gets bigger over days or weeks, usually on areas of the body where mosquitoes bite, including the ankle, lower leg, and arms. Unlike other ulcers, Buruli ulcer often does not hurt. Usually, people do not have fever or other symptoms of infection.
If detected early, it can be treated with antibiotics, but the treatment is prolonged. Untreated it can affect the skin and the bones, and result in permanent disfigurement and long-term disability.
“If you have a new or slow healing sore, ulcer or skin infection, see your GP and ask for a Buruli ulcer test,” Dr Romanes said.
“It is important to get a diagnosis from a doctor as early as possible. If diagnosis is delayed the ulcer can become very large. The ulcer can sometimes lead to deformity, disability, or bone infection.”
The bacteria that causes the ulcer is believed to be transferred to mosquitoes from possums. In addition to public spaces where stagnant water provides ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes, mosquitoes can also breed in gutters, plant containers, buckets and open cans.
One theory among health professionals suggests an original source for the bacteria is possums that populate Queens Park in Moonee Ponds.
People who regularly use the Moonee Ponds Creek and other open areas in Brunswick West, Coburg and Pascoe Vale South for exercise or recreation should take precautions by using personal insect repellents and sprays, and covering up by wearing long, loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing, and consider avoiding mosquito-prone areas, especially at dusk and dawn.
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