A Four-year Retrospective Review of Buruli Ulcer Disease in Delta State, Nigeria

Background: Buruli Ulcer (BU) is a debilitating necrotic cutaneous infection, scattered across the universe, but has received less attention  when compared with other infectious diseases. It is endemic in some Nigeria states including Delta State, but there is a dearth  of published data on BU in Delta State. This knowledge gap necessitated this study, which aimed to ascertain the pattern, distribution and  clinical characteristics of BU cases in Delta State, Nigeria. Methods: This study is a four-year retrospective review from 2018 – 2021. A proforma was designed to retrieve all records of suspected  and confirmed cases of BU in the Delta State BU registry from 2018 – 2021. Data obtained were entered and analysed using SPSS version  23.0. Results: Among the 163 suspected BU cases retrieved from the register, 52 (32%) were confirmed positive using the Polymerase  Chain Reaction (PCR) technique. The confirmed cases were distributed in 16 (64%) of the 25 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state.  There was a marked decline in the number of cases from 2018 to 2020 and a slight increase in 2021. Nearly all confirmed cases (98.1%)  presented as ulcers and were mainly located in the lower limbs (80.8%). The lesions were mostly the category III type (63.5%), while 90.4%  of those affected had limitations of movement in the affected area. Conclusion: BU is present in Delta State of Nigeria, with the  majority of cases presenting to health facilities late. Thus, active surveillance activities by BU control agencies to enhance early case   detection is recommended.