ABSTRACT
Buruli ulcer remains a neglected tropical disease endemic in Africa especially Ghana and Côte
d’Ivoire. It is a necrotizing skin and soft tissue infection caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans which
produces mycolactone which causes adverse effects associated with disease in humans. Other
mycolactone producing bacteria (MPMs) have been identified to cause granulomas in fish and
frog. There are limited advanced genetic tools for studying transmission of the diseases and for
carrying out molecular epidemiological studies. The mycolactone producing mycobacteria
(MPM), M. shinshuense has been reported to cause Buruli ulcer and other studies have revealed
several MPM infections other than M. ulcerans in clinical samples. It is therefore imperative to
know the exact MPMs that are in circulation by genotypically distinguishing them using molecular
tools. Patients with Buruli ulcer-like disease presentation were recruited from endemic
communities in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. Swabs and FNA samples were screened using primers
detecting the insertion sequence 2404 gene and the Enoyl reductase gene. Genotyping was
achieved at 16 MU VNTR loci and length polymorphisms arising from differences in tandem
repeats for samples were validated using six (6) controls and sequencing.
A total one hundred and fifty-nine (159) of the 189 samples were confirmed as Buruli ulcer
positive. Genotyping was successful for all controls (100%) and most samples (69%) at all sixteen
(16) VNTR loci. Seven (7) MU genotypes designated, A, B, C, D, E, F and G and five MPM
genotypes MLF (Mycobacterium liflandii), MHB (Mycobacterium marinum hybrid), MDL
(Mycobacterium marinum DL), MCL (Mycobacterium marinum CL) and MSA (Mycobacterium
marinum SA) were generated samples were assigned genotypes based on their VNTR profiles.
Genotypes C, D and F were present in both Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. However, genotypes E and
MLF were only found in Ghana whiles Genotype A and G were found in only Côte d’Ivoire. Genotype D has persisted over the years from 2008 to 2019 comparing this study to published
data. These findings support the hypothesis that Mycolactone producing mycobacteria causing
Buruli ulcer in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are diverse and affirms VNTR typing as a comparably
useful tool for differentiating MU strains as well as other MPMs in Buruli ulcer endemic
communities
CDR, C (2021). Genetic Diversity Of Mycolactone Producing Mycobacteria Causing Buruli Ulcer In Ghana And Côte D’ivoire. Afribary.com: Retrieved April 11, 2021, from https://afribary.com/works/genetic-diversity-of-mycolactone-producing-mycobacteria-causing-buruli-ulcer-in-ghana-and-cote-d-ivoire
Coalition, CDR. "Genetic Diversity Of Mycolactone Producing Mycobacteria Causing Buruli Ulcer In Ghana And Côte D’ivoire" Afribary.com. Afribary.com, 06 Apr. 2021, https://afribary.com/works/genetic-diversity-of-mycolactone-producing-mycobacteria-causing-buruli-ulcer-in-ghana-and-cote-d-ivoire . Accessed 11 Apr. 2021.
Coalition, CDR. "Genetic Diversity Of Mycolactone Producing Mycobacteria Causing Buruli Ulcer In Ghana And Côte D’ivoire". Afribary.com, Afribary.com, 06 Apr. 2021. Web. 11 Apr. 2021. < https://afribary.com/works/genetic-diversity-of-mycolactone-producing-mycobacteria-causing-buruli-ulcer-in-ghana-and-cote-d-ivoire >.
Coalition, CDR. "Genetic Diversity Of Mycolactone Producing Mycobacteria Causing Buruli Ulcer In Ghana And Côte D’ivoire" Afribary.com (2021). Accessed April 11, 2021. https://afribary.com/works/genetic-diversity-of-mycolactone-producing-mycobacteria-causing-buruli-ulcer-in-ghana-and-cote-d-ivoire