Doctors want urgent research into flesh-eating ulcer

Doctors in Australia have called for urgent research into why a flesh-eating ulcer has become a "worsening epidemic" in the state of Victoria, reports BBC.

Local cases of Buruli ulcer, a skin disease most commonly found in Africa, have surged by 400 per cent in the last four years, experts say.

Infections have also become more severe and spread to new areas. Doctors do not know how to prevent the disease, which is caused by bacteria that breaks down tissue.

A record of 275 new infections were recorded the state last year, marking a 51 per cent increase on 2016. Infectious diseases expert Dr Daniel O'Brien said cases of the Buruli ulcer, or Mycobacterium ulcerans disease, had become "frighteningly more common and also more severe" in the region.

It was unclear why the ulcer, typically found in tropical areas, had emerged in the temperate climate of Victoria, he said. Buruli ulcer is a skin disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium ulcerans.

The bacteria emits toxin that destroy skin cells, small blood vessels and the fat under the skin, leading to ulcers forming and skin loss.

The ulcer gets bigger with time and can lead to permanent disfigurement or disability.

Usually affects limbs but can also be found on the face and body. Doctors do not know how the disease is transmitted to humans but it's believed to arise from the environment and soil.