@article{fdi:010062314,
  title = {{F}irst detection of {M}ycobacterium ulcerans {DNA} in environmental samples from {S}outh {A}merica},
  author = {{M}orris, {A}aron and {G}ozlan, {R}odolphe and {M}arion, {E}. and {M}arsollier, {L}. and {A}ndreou, {D}. and {S}anhueza, {D}. and {R}uffine, {R}olland and {C}ouppie, {P}. and {G}u{\'e}gan, {J}ean-{F}ran{\c{c}}ois},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he occurrences of many environmentally-persistent and zoonotic infections are driven by ecosystem changes, which in turn are underpinned by land-use modifications that alter the governance of pathogen, biodiversity and human interactions. {O}ur current understanding of these ecological changes on disease emergence however remains limited. {B}uruli ulcer is an emerging human skin disease caused by the mycobacterium, {M}ycobacterium ulcerans, for which the exact route of infection remains unclear. {I}t can have a devastating impact on its human host, causing extensive necrosis of the skin and underlying tissue, often leading to permanent disability. {T}he mycobacterium is associated with tropical aquatic environments and incidences of the disease are significantly higher on floodplains and where there is an increase of human aquatic activities. {A}lthough the disease has been previously diagnosed in {S}outh {A}merica, until now the presence of {M}. ulcerans {DNA} in the wild has only been identified in {A}ustralia where there have been significant outbreaks and in western and central regions of {A}frica where the disease is persistent. {H}ere for the first time, we have identified the presence of the aetiological agent's {DNA} in environmental samples from {S}outh {A}merica. {T}he {DNA} was positively identified using {R}eal-time {P}olymerase {C}hain {R}eaction ({PCR}) on 163 environmental samples, taken from 23 freshwater bodies in {F}rench {G}uiana ({S}outhern {A}merica), using primers for both {IS}2404 and for the ketoreductase-{B} domain of the {M}. ulcerans mycolactone polyketide synthase genes ({KR}). {F}ive samples out of 163 were positive for both primers from three different water bodies. {A} further nine sites had low levels of {IS}2404 close to a standard {CT} of 35 and could potentially harbour {M}. ulcerans. {T}he majority of our positive samples (8/14) came from filtered water. {T}hese results also reveal the {S}innamary {R}iver as a potential source of infection to humans.},
  keywords = {{GUYANE} {FRANCAISE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}los {N}eglected {T}ropical {D}iseases},
  volume = {8},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {e2660},
  ISSN = {1935-2735},
  year = {2014},
  DOI = {10.1371/journal.pntd.0002660},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010062314},
}