Endemic infectious cutaneous ulcers syndrome in the Oti Region of Ghana: Study of cutaneous leishmaniasis, yaws and Haemophilus ducreyi cutaneous ulcers

A recent study detected cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in 31.9% of persons with skin ulcers in the Oti Region of Ghana, resulting in a need to investigate other potential causes of the unexplained skin ulcers. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Oti region to investigate skin...

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Published in:PloS one 2023-09, Vol.18 (9), p.e0292034-e0292034
Main Authors: Akuffo, Richard Adjei, Sanchez, Carmen, Amanor, Ivy, Amedior, Jennifer Seyram, Kotey, Nana Konama, Anto, Francis, Azurago, Thomas, Ablordey, Anthony, Owusu-Antwi, Felicia, Beshah, Abate, Amoako, Yaw Ampem, Phillips, Richard Odame, Wilson, Michael, Asiedu, Kingsley, Ruiz-Postigo, Jose-Antonio, Moreno, Javier, Mokni, Mourad
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacterial infections
Biology and Life Sciences
Biopsy
Buruli ulcer
Care and treatment
Confidentiality
Consent
Control
Cross-Sectional Studies
Cutaneous leishmaniasis
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Diagnosis
Distribution
DNA
Epidemics
Ghana
Ghana - epidemiology
Haemophilus ducreyi
Health aspects
Hemophilus infections
Humans
Leishmania
Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous
Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - diagnosis
Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - epidemiology
Medical research
Medicine and Health Sciences
Medicine, Experimental
Mycobacterium ulcerans
Parasitic diseases
People and Places
Polymerase chain reaction
Protozoa
Skin
Skin diseases
Skin Diseases, Infectious
Skin Ulcer - epidemiology
Treponema pallidum
Tropical diseases
Ulcer - epidemiology
Ulcers
Vector-borne diseases
Yaws
Yaws - epidemiology
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Summary:A recent study detected cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in 31.9% of persons with skin ulcers in the Oti Region of Ghana, resulting in a need to investigate other potential causes of the unexplained skin ulcers. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Oti region to investigate skin ulcers of undetermined aetiologies. To confirm a diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis, Buruli ulcer, Haemophilus ducreyi ulcers, or yaws, DNA obtained from each patient skin ulcer sample was systematically subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Leishmania spp., Mycobacterium ulcerans, Haemophilus ducreyi, and Treponema pallidum sub species pertenue. A total of 101 skin ulcer samples were obtained from 101 persons. Co-infection of more than one organism was observed in 68.3% of the samples. Forty (39.6%) participants had a positive result for Leishmania spp., 68 (67.3%) for Treponema pallidum sub. Sp. pertenue, and 74 (73.3%) for H. ducreyi. Twenty (19.8%) of the patient ulcers were simultaneously infected with Leishmania spp., Treponema pallidum sub. Sp. pertenue, and H. ducreyi. None of the patients' lesions yielded a positive result for Mycobacterium ulcerans. This study detected single and mixed occurrence of the causative organisms of CL, yaws, and H. ducreyi cutaneous ulcers in CL endemic communities of the Oti Region in Ghana. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating multiple skin diseases on a common research platform and calls for the development of a comprehensive guideline for diagnosing and treating tropical ulcers in the study areas.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0292034