Warmer weather has arrived and mosquitoes will be buzzing about before you know it. As El Niño is expected to bring an early start to summer heat, it’s likely mosquitoes will make their presence felt earlier than usual.

The threat of mosquitoes depositing flesh-eating bacteria has been restricted to a few parts of the country. But while rare, research shows it is now showing up in more areas – including in backyards in Melbourne’s inner city.

So what exactly is Buruli ulcer, where is it now found, and how can you prevent it? Here’s what we know so far, and what researchers are currently developing to protect against the bacteria in future.

What are Buruli ulcers?

Buruli ulcer is a skin infection resulting from the bacterium Mycobacterium ulcerans.

It starts as small and often painless inflammation after a mosquito bite, which may not be seen until months after initial infection. It transforms into a disfiguring ulcer after many weeks.

If left untreated, it can continue increasing in size with a loss of skin and muscle.

A buruli ulcer is treated with an eight-week course of antibiotics. Recovery can be much slower than expected for other common skin infections, with healing time highly dependent on the condition of the ulcer when first treated. It may take more than four months for ulcers to heal.

How do people become infected?

Mycobacterium ulcerans can infect urban wildlife, such as possums, which suffer symptoms similar to those in humans.

Recent research has shown mosquitoes pass the bacterium to people.

The mosquito most closely associated with areas at risk of Mycobacterium ulcerans is Aedes notoscriptus. Commonly known as the Australian backyard mosquito, it is........

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