Objective Buruli ulcer (BU), a disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, is a neglected disease of the poor in remote rural areas. BU is the third most common mycobacterial disease after tuberculosis and leprosy. It is most endemic in West Africa with incidences as high as 280 / 100,000, but cases occur around the globe. Currently, BU is treated by surgery - no anti-mycobacterial drug trials have been conducted. Surgery with wide margins resembles radical oncological surgery but this is not a modern therapy for an in fectious disease. Moreover, it is neither affordable nor sustainable in endemic regions; and it is poorly accepted among people in endemic areas. Indeed, fear for mutilating surgery has been identified as an important cause of patient delay, resulting in e ven more extensive lesions at presentation. Though mortality of the disease is low, morbidity and subsequent disability are very high, with up to half of those treated are left with disabilities that have long-term social and economic impact. New molecular tools are needed to explore epidemiology and transmission, and to improve diagnostics and treatment. This proposal is a multidisciplinary treatise that aims at the development of new tools and knowledge. In close networking of partners with different expe rtises the following activities are foreseen: 1) analysis of moleclar epidemiology of M. ulcerans, 2) analysis of environmental reservoirs and possible relationship to transmission, 3) evaluation of diagnostic principles with the aims of establishing guide lines, 4) treatment studies with the aim of establishing guidelines for therapy both with drugs and by surgery , 5) analysis of the in situ host response to obtain an understanding of the immune defense against M. ulcerans and to find possible correlates t o prognosis, 6) a socio-psychological study of the attitude towards BU and its consequences for compliance withold and new therapies. Fields of science social sciencessociologydemographymortalitymedical and health sciencesclinical medicinesurgerymedical and health scienceshealth sciencespublic healthepidemiologymedical and health sciencesclinical medicinepneumologytuberculosis Programme(s) FP6-INCO - Specific measures in support of international cooperation: Specific activities covering wider field of research under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) INCO-2003-A1.3 b - Knowledge and technologies to improve control of neglected communicable diseases Call for proposal FP6-2003-INCO-DEV-2 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme STREP - Specific Targeted Research Project Coordinator BERNHARD NOCHT INSTITUTE FOR TROPICAL MEDICINE EU contribution No data Address Bernhard-Nocht-Str. 74 HAMBURG Germany See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (6) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all INSTITUUT VOOR TROPISCHE GENEESKUNDE / INSTITUTE OF TROPICAL MEDICINE Belgium EU contribution No data Address Nationalestraat 155 ANTWERPEN See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data MINISTRY OF HEALTH - PROGRAMME NATIONAL DE LUTTE CONTRE L'ULCÈRE DER BURULI' Benin EU contribution No data Address 06 BP 2573 COTONOU See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data INSTITUT MEDICAL EVANGELIQUE DE KIMPESE Democratic Republic of the Congo EU contribution No data Address Matadi Road - Kimpese Hospital KIMPESE See on map Total cost No data GRONINGEN UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTRE Netherlands EU contribution No data Address Hanzeplein 1 GRONINGEN See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data LUDWIG-MAXIMILIANS-UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN Germany EU contribution No data Address Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1 MUNICH See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data SCHOOL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Ghana EU contribution No data Address SMS, KNUST KUMASI See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data